Playing with Yahoo’s Phone In / Phone Out serivce

Saturday, April 29, 2006

I'm a sucker. Yahoo sent me a dollar to use on their new Phone In / Phone Out service. It's appealing. I can make or receive phone calls from my laptop. Out is not much difference there from Skype or Gizmo. In to it's own phone number is unique. But, when I am untethered with my Verizon Wireless Broad Band Card, I'm a rolling phone booth. Comcast's Digital Voice, part of their triple play, would also be nice when it gets to my area.

But three features of Yahoo's offering peaked my interest.

(1) Cheap; penny a minute.

(2) Turn my untethered laptop into a mobile phone [Yeah, I have a wireless phone. Buy a laptop phone would be nerdy kool.]

(3) Give my laptop it's own phone number. How kool would that be? And useful.

I figure that using Yahoo Instant Messenger, people might be more likely to give you a quick call.

SO FAR, it's been a modest disaster.

YIM75 will not install on my luggable laptop. Queries to Yahoo Support get a canned message — we'll be back to you within a day — followed by telling me where to dl the software or asking me questions about what happens when YIM runs.

Hey guys and gals, read the messages. IT DOESN'T INSTALL. Arghhh.

If I ever get a customer support group, then I am going have reading and listening lessons.

Maybe Ed Gripeline Foster would be interested in this?

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Posted by reinkefj

“When parents’ values conflict with public schools” change the paradigm!

Friday, April 28, 2006

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2006/04/27/when_parents_value_conflict_with_public_schools/ 

When parents' values conflict with public schools By Jeff Jacoby, Globe Columnist  |  April 27, 2006 

***Begin Quote***

When it comes to the education of children, there is always an agenda — and those who don't share that agenda too often find themselves belittled, marginalized, or ignored. Perhaps it was true, as Thomas Reilly says, that the public schools his children attended "reinforced the values of our home." But as the Parkers and Wirthlins in Lexington can testify, other families have a very different experience. When Kerry Healey says she wants her children "to be in an environment where they can talk about values ….. in a way that you can't always do in a public school setting," many public-school parents will know exactly what she means.

***End Quote***

Sorry to say it but the "gmmamint publik skoolz" are a socialist idea that were designed from the beginning to create cannon fodder and factory robots. It's an "experiment" that needs to stop.

In no particular order. It's racist! It's sexist! It's egalitarian! It's unfair! It's ineffective! It's inefficient! It's unsafe! It's dehumanizing! It's socialist! It's "one size fits all". It's not subject to marketplace discipline! It's a financial rat hole! It's social engineering! It's a class warfare! It's divisive! It's anti-family! It's anti-religious! It's union dominated! It's corrupt! It's inescapable! It's anti senior citizen!

Other than that it's a great system.

Oh I'm exaggerating am I?

It's racist! Can you tell em the black and white literacy rates? It's ok use their numbers. We know they are fudged but go ahead.

It's sexist! Boys get treated badly. Girls are pushed around. Both lose.

It's egalitarian! As cited in the article 5/6 of rich white people don't send their children to publik skool. Why?

It's unfair! The childless pay to educate other people's children. Why is that? I don't pay to clothe them.

It's ineffective! Even using their fudged stats, the results are an absolute joke.

It's inefficient! Does it take twelve years to not tech these people to read? They are out of school more than they are in. It's unsafe! Look at teen violence in skoolz. Skool buz accidents. Guns and drugs?

It's dehumanizing! More like a prison, ring bells to change classes like a Pavlovian dog. Justice in proceedings. Rights?

It's socialist! The designers like Horrace Mann wanted a classless society.

It teaches socialism! It's "one size fits all". Too smart;too dumb. Look at the boundary students. Handicap? Everyone is ADD and dosed with drugs if they won't sit still for the nonsense paraded as education.

It's not subject to marketplace discipline! No child left behind? When a business doesn't serve, the marketplace "rewards" it with a going out business sale. When a school fails, they give it more money.

It's a financial rat hole! Look at private preschools, there's financial and quality competition. Look at the parochial schools; even with one foot in a bucket, they cost a third of a state skool.

It's social engineering! The stat skool fosters worship of the state religion — state worship. Children are taught and trained to expect the gummamint to solve their problems.

It's a class warfare! There's a reason that the suburbs have better skoolz. And, it ain't cause we are all equal. The curse of low expectations is placed on all who enter the 'system'.

It's divisive! Parents fight among themselves to get the best, or any, education for their children. It's played by the state as a zero sum game.

It's anti-family! It contradicts the beliefs of the parents and the community.

It's anti-religious! It teaches state worship and Earth Day paganism. It sneers at the cultural and religious values. It subsumes the religious holidays and relabels them.

It's union dominated! Guess that goes without saying. Tenure in skoolz?

It's corrupt! There is a education industry that has grown up around the politicians – 'educators' – contractors. They've got a nice scam going and it keeps everyone rich and happy.

It's inescapable! A Catholic friend of mine can't afford to pay the taxes and pay to send his kids to the Catholic school. Then as the final kick in the <pick your favorite sensitive region> they teach his kids things contrary to his beliefs.

It's anti senior citizen! Why are seniors taxed to pay for skoolz from their fixed incomes?

Did I miss anything? Any redeeming value? Nope!

Leave a Comment » | LIBERTY | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

Add the career builder monkey’s to your team!

Thursday, April 27, 2006

http://www.networkworld.com/community/?q=node/5625

***Begin Quote***

Monkey Mail

By Jason Meserve on Thu, 04/27/2006 – 6:46pm
Applications | timekiller
If you're like me and love the CareerBuilder.com "I work with monkeys" commercial than you'll lover their new Monk-E-Mail service. Go to the Web site, type in a message and a customized monkey will read your message to the intended recipient. Brilliant! (Wait, that's Guinness… but still, brilliant!)

***End Quote***

I LOVE it. I think there can be many valuable messages that it can be used for. If there is an anonymous method. 

http://www.careerbuilder.com/monk-e-mail/?mid=8210299

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Posted by reinkefj

Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum! Join the anti-spam army of the blue frogs.

Thursday, April 27, 2006

***Begin Quote***

Another online pharmacy spam ring, nick-named PP, has decided to listen to the frog. PP, a medium size spammer, elected to stop spamming us. This is good news, but what is even more important is that we never sent a single opt-out request to PP. Yep, that's right. Zero opt-outs were sent to PP.

This spam ring was large enough to attract our attention, but there were a few other spammers who irritate our community more than PP. Therefore, we were essentially just watching them and their spam. We never took the time to create an opt-out script for PP's sites.

However, PP has decided there is no point in waiting for our community to take action. After all, our actions never generate revenues, just opt-outs. In a smart move, PP simply complied with the Registry. And don't think PP stopped spamming. We keep getting loads of their Vi@gra spam to our unregistered honeypot accounts. PP avoids sending spam to the Blue community.

Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum. If you want peace, prepare for war. This piece of advice was given by a Roman general a couple of thousands years ago. It was proven right again today. We want peace. We are prepared to fight for our rights. Spammers understand and respect this.

Posted by Eran Reshef Apr 27, 2006 08:48

***End Quote***

I wanted to invite you to join the Blue Community and benefit from Blue Security's free anti-spam service, the Do Not Intrude Registry. I highly recommend you join the service – it's simple, safe and easy to use. Many users already report a significant reduction in spam.

Blue Security allows us to actively do something to stop receiving spam. Here's how it works:

1. I report spam I receive to Blue Security.
2. The Blue Frog software, installed on my machine, automatically posts opt-out requests on spammers' sites demanding they stop sending spam to members of the Blue Community.
3. Spammers use the Do Not Intrude Registry in order to clean their lists and avoid sending us spam.

The service is free, and if you sign up now, Blue Security guaranties you will never have to pay for it in the future.

Stop filtering spam, Start deterring spammers – Sign up with the Do Not Intrude Registry.
http://members.bluesecurity.com/cwa/frog_welcome.do?from=frog&ver=1.9.0.1139&p0=invite&p1=reinkefj2723

Leave a Comment » | Technology | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

RANT: LET THEM eat cake — or wait in line for a Prius.

Thursday, April 27, 2006

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2006/04/27/real_relief_on_gas_prices/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+–+Op-ed+columns

***Begin Quote***

''Gasoline price increases are like a hidden tax on the working people," President Bush said in a speech that called for a federal inquiry into possible price-gouging, an easing of environmental rules on gasoline production, and a halt to new purchases for the nation's energy reserve.

Bush conveniently ignored one built-in cost: Government levies include a federal 18.4 cents-a-gallon tax on gas; and the states tax on top of that.

***End Quote***

Hey, somebody figured out that the tax on gasoline gets added into everything we buy. Hmmm, think I heard that before. What are we stupid?

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Posted by reinkefj

TECHNOLOGY: Conference Place aka Microsoft Live Meeting (definitely not free)

Thursday, April 27, 2006

Pig here, as in guinea pig. My employer has contracted for Conference Place, it's a shell that covers Microsoft's Live Meeting, aka Placewhere. After kicking the tires, I'm blah about it. It requires BOTH an inet connection and phone line. That's ugly. I was expecting only a net connect. After all voip means never having to say telephone. The phone connect is an added hassle and expense. You'd think that Microsoft would support two way voice over the net. Silly user. I'll be playing with it over the next few days and will advise. Makes me think that Asterisk would be a really neat home project that would have useful results.

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Posted by reinkefj

“jury nullification” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jury_nullification

Thursday, April 27, 2006

http://feeds.feedburner.com/HammerOfTruth?m=1556

***Begin Quote***

A three-judge panel of the San Francisco-based appeals court, in overturning the verdict, said a juror had had inappropriate communication with an attorney.

“Juror A” had asked the attorney during trial whether she had to follow the law or could vote her conscience because she suspected Rosenthal was growing marijuana for medicinal uses. The attorney told her she must follow the judge’s instructions to follow federal law or she would get in “trouble.”

“We hold that here the communication was an improper influence upon Juror A’s decision to acquit or convict,” the appeals court wrote.

***End Quote***

Interesting that people don't know about "jury nullification" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jury_nullification. I guess that's why I never get on a jury. I do. It's a pre-constitutional tradition emerging out of English common law and I first learned about it in connection with the Peter Zenger trial http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zenger. It says the jury is sovereign. They can not only judge the guilt or innocence of the accused. But they can judge the law. Sort of like a one person veto.

Now, needless to say, the judge ain't gonna be to happy if you vote "not guilty". For example, in your opinion, the Drug Laws may unconstitutional, or they may be intrusive, or they may be draconian, or they may be just plain stupid. You may think that the cops planted it, or that the Prosecutors are picking on some poor dumb defendant. Or that the judge is just a horse's behind. Bottom line, for what ever reason, you can vote "not guilty".

My personal advice is if you do, keep your mouth shut. Do NOT elaborate. Don't discuss. Don't tell anybody anything. Just say "not guilty" when asked.

It doesn't matter if he was caught on video tape, recorded, and 22 people swear that they bought drugs from him. Just smile quizzically and say "I believe the defendant. Hence, I vote "not guilty"." and shut up.

There are cases where your fellow juror will report all sorts of stuff to the judge in their zeal to do their duty.

You have to be just a zealous doing yours.

:-)  "Not guilty" ;-)

Did you have a preformed opinion? Nope! Did you apply the law as I explained it? Yup! Did you go into the deliberations with an open mind? Yes! Have you ever heard of the FIJA http://www.fija.org/or jury nullification? Nope!

:-)

How can you justify your verdict? I heard the defendant and believed him.

Period!

Bet you never get called for jury duty again! Yeah, I know it's completely random. Just register as a Libertarian and see how often you get called.

It's a rigged game.

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Posted by reinkefj

RANT: Against mindless forwarding of email

Thursday, April 27, 2006

Dear fellow traveler,

I don't understand how forwarding an email that may or may not be authentic helps anyone. Usually I counsel people not to do this bcause:

(1) Cause it doesn't get read.
(2) It absorbs a lot of different kinds of "space".
(3) Exposing all those email addresses to spammers is a bad idea.
(4) It doesn't influence anyone.

[The reader's are urge to improve my list by sharing their own points.]

If you were moved by the underlying message, then tell us about your experience. Trim the text so it has a high signal to noise ratio. Distill it.

(By the way, pictures don't usually come thru the forwarding process well. And they take a lot of space.)

That adding, distillation, and trimming all has value and merit. And, it might influence your fellow XYZers to think about something, think about it differently, or Intelligent Designer forbid they might actually change an opinion. See the way you did it, forwarding a many times forwarded message with no value added, makes people think that it was done in a careless fashion. Where as, if you add some value to it by telling people why you think it's important to share it, then you might actually do some good.

Email is a wonderful tool properly used. This message did nothing for me but make me rant.

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Posted by reinkefj

Why do the players have to sit out?

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

The New York Post
April 26, 2006 Wednesday
SECTION: All Editions; Pg. 82
HEADLINE: JASPER BIG 3 IN LIMBO
BYLINE: TIM SULLIVAN
LOAD-DATE: April 26, 2006

***Begin Quote***

Xavier, a sophomore guard from Pawtucket, R.I., who averaged 16.6 points this season, has a scholarship waiting for him at Providence if he’d like to transfer, sit out a season and play for his hometown Friars. The Big East might be too tough to turn down, but he is keeping all options open.

***End Quote***

It really not fair that the coach can change at will, and yet the players have to sit out a year if they transfer. It’s just rotten! Now, why doesn’t the coach have to sit out for a year?

Why do the players have to sit out?

At the very least, to compensate them for the “lost years” (i.e., for the time they invested in the departing coach who leaves them in the lurch), they should be allowed to play for some one else right away.

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Posted by reinkefj

The CEO, the COO, and the CFO conspire to weenie the employees of a start up!

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

http://blogs.ittoolbox.com/security/investigator/archives/008976.asp

***Begin Quote***

In several emails he outlined a plan where the company assets (intellectual property, equipment, etc) would be sold and transferred to the buying company. The employees "are not a transferable asset, nor are they essential to a successful IP transition. We are prepared to 'trickle' them out in groups during the transition period". In other emails to C-level executives at our company, he repeatedly fought off the CEO and COO desire for compensation packages for employees that had been around for at least one year of employment. The CFO spewed financial nonsense and bull$hit, however he was accurate to the penny on what each executive would receive as compensation. These guys were going to make millions. In a few of the last emails, the CEO and COO caved under the pressure and greed.

***End Quote***

For anyone who has NOT yet realized that the "rules of engagement" for employment, here is you wake up call.

While I personally deplore the actions that were supposedly taken, I have to admire when justice is served. There is no way, no how, that seekers should be deceived into working like a dog WITHOUT a just reward.

###

Leave a Comment » | JOBSEARCH, Ranting | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj

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