INSPIRATIONAL: Flash mob choral

Friday, December 24, 2010

A SPAM FOREWARDED BY AN OLD HIGH SCHOOL BUD

>This is why I avoid malls

>Just click and enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=SXh7JR9oKVE&vq=medium#t=49

FOUNTAIN SQUARE FLASH MOB

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Interesting that everyone forgets why we “celebrate”.

Just the other day, I was asked “Why are you a Scrooge?”

My quick one word answer was “Commercialization”.

The questioner agreed sadly.

I continued: “And, it the time of year when every parent LIES to their children. Children should KNOW that their parent is the ONE person in the world that always tells them the truth. Santa Claus exists as the famous editorial response tells us. Just that parents can’t EVER lie to their children. That’s the death of innocence and the beginning of cynicism. People wonder why youth rebel. THey’ve been lied to.

Any way, Season Greetings.

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Posted by reinkefj

INSPIRATIONAL: The military at Christmas

Friday, December 24, 2010

http://www.wxpnews.com/LEM1E6/101221-Military

They SHOULD be home!

Donna Nobis Pacem!

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GUNS: Proprietor shot and killed three alleged armed robbers

Friday, December 24, 2010

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2010/12/17/Store-owner-shot-3-times-kills-robbers/UPI-80031292634288/

U.S. News
Store owner shot 3 times kills robbers
Published: Dec. 17, 2010 at 8:04 PM

*** begin quote ***

HOUSTON, Dec. 17 (UPI) — A Houston jewelry and pawn shop proprietor shot and killed three alleged armed robbers despite having been bound and shot multiple times himself, police say.

*** end quote ***

Good “gun control” by the proprietor. (Gun control is hitting what you aim at safely.) Sad that death comes at this Holy Day Season. But you have to recognize that, if we have to choose who lives and who dies, and choose we must, it’s nice to see the “good guy” win.

Now put them in NYC, and the “bad guys” win!

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RANT: Regulate the inet when no one is watching

Thursday, December 23, 2010

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/dec/20/nothing-neutral-about-this-unholy-scheme/

PRUDEN: Nothing neutral about this unholy scheme
By Wesley Pruden-The Washington Times6:06 p.m., Monday, December 20, 2010

OPINION/ANALYSIS:

*** begin quote ***

The new “net-neutrality” regulations here, which will have the force of law though Congress need have nothing to do with writing them, will be considered for a vote by the FCC on Tuesday. The rules being considered for the Tuesday vote are technical and complicated, and the timing of the vote clearly was arranged for Christmas week, when most people are delighted not to have to think about Washington and the trouble it makes for the rest of us.

*** and ***

One of those liberal Democrats is Al Franken, proving that even a blind pig can find an occasional acorn. He’s unhappy mostly that the FCC is moving toward approving a merger of Comcast, the ubiquitous cable provider, and NBC-Universal and enabling big corporations to pay extra for Internet “toll lanes,” which would speed transmission of messages with a higher priority over the rest of us.

*** and ***

Even now some of the busybody countries at the United Nations are working on setting up “a working group” to “harmonize” global efforts to regulate the Internet. Alas, this is scariest of all. “Harmony” suggests everyone singing together to a tune written to U.N. satisfaction. Nothing is broken about the Internet that needs fixing, which is why certain cunning saboteurs are so eager to “fix” it.

*** end quote ***

Amazing how the bureaucrats pick this time of year to do their mischief!

As a little L libertarian, I don’t see ANY need for the FCC.

For example, how’s that junk phone rule working out for you. I still get them. Don’t you? I’ve complained. Hasn’t worked out to well for me.

For example, junk faxes. Should have been an easy one. My docs turn OFF their fax machines at night to prevent getting them. I find that annoying when I want to communicate with them. (“Federal Law” prevents them from doing email! But that’s another topic.)

SO when all the other bureaucrats are home on their Winter Solstice vacation (Their WHOLE lives are vacations!), these bureaucrats are using the holiday inattention of “We, The Sheeple” to steal “OUR” internet.

Argh!

Pitchforks and torches! Pitchfork and torches time.

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TECHNOLOGY: Questions about hardware / software engineering

Thursday, December 23, 2010

http://www.itnews.com.au/News/241265,techies-revenge-lands-her-in-jail.aspx

Techie’s revenge lands her in jail
By Liam Tung on Dec 10, 2010 9:25 AM

*** begin quote ***

Four days after being fired from the Suncoast Community Health Centers’ for insubordination, Patricia Marie Fowler exacter her revenge by hacking the centre’s systems, deleting files, changing passwords, removing access to infrastructure systems, and tampering with pay and accrued leave rates of staff.

*** end quote ***

This story begs a number of questions about hardware / software engineering.

(1) Firewalls, hardware, and software are NOT designed to avoid the “King” effect. One example. The SWIFT funds transfer network in the 80’s had the concept of split authentication. The contract with SWIFT and the institution REQUIRED two separate “supervisors of an administrator” and “technology administrators”. There had to be collusion between FOUR people to subvert the security system. Bosses were NOT permitted to access the system but did receive the couriered envelop with their half of the institution’s code. They gave it to their administrator. Once the two haves were used, a new pair was generated and sent to the bosses. Either “administrator” could lock the “kingdom”. (I forget how long the “keys” were, but I remember typing it in was a giant pain.) Surprisingly, even honchos, who were openly hostile to “security”, meekly went along with this kabuki.

(2) It seems like there was very little separation of duties. The IT administrator apparently has access to the firewalls, other platforms, and data tables in applications. Seems like the place was an accident set up to happen. Where were the internal and external auditors? At the very least, with suitable automation, rebuilding components of the infrastructure should be near trivial. You wonder where was their disaster recovery plan; probably locked up in the head of the rogue administrator.

(3) “Passwords” in and around a serious “security” situation. Guess they never heard of two factor authentication?

Nice to know we don’t need no stinkin’ security!

Seasonal Greetings,
fjohn

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INTERESTING: The President missed an opportunity

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2010/12/obama-reads-to-kids-including-his-own-book/1

Dec 17, 2010
Obama reads to kids, including his own book

*** begin quote ***

Another asked for an autograph.

POTUS: “If I sign autographs, then I’d have to sign for everybody.”

“Yay,” the students responded.

POTUS said he signed his book for the whole school and it’s in the library.

Another student asked how he wrote the book, since he’s so busy.

*** end quote ***

Ahh, using children as props!

I think I’d have “found” time to sign an autograph personally for every child in that room. It’d have made them feel “special”. Who knows maybe saved a suicide, prevented an alcoholic, or even just inspired that one kid!

A missed opportunity.

And, you have to love how the kid went for the jugular. Writing is hard time-consuming work. Think maybe it was ghost written? Like all the “Presidential” books?

Argh!

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IPAD: LASTPASS works differently on IPAD

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Unfortunately, LASTPASS is installed that appears to be a front end to SAFARI. On the NETBOOK and MACBOOKAIR1, it integrates with all browsers. Not sure I like the result.

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INTERESTING: Forecasting intelligent cars and roads in the future

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

http://www.techmynd.com/the-future-cars-and-roads/#ixzz18TcSTw1G

The Future Cars and Roads
by Hiroshi on 18-12-2010

*** begin quote ***

According to Dr. Michio Kaku, next 10 years will bring us intelligent cars and roads. Future car fuels will be hydrogen, electricity, rechargeable batteries or solar energy. The future cars will help stop accidents and suggest alternative routs if road is blocked ahead. There will be almost no traffic jams, no road accidents. Scientists will install chips in the roads which will communicate with your car to tell if there is any problem ahead. Road will sense your car speed as well.

This predicts that instead of police officers, roads would be able to calculate your car speed and issue you a speeding ticket through your car’s computer. Cars will consume less fuel and will be light in weight. GPS systems would guide your car computer in the direction you would like to go. Even these cars can drive you automatically to point a to b without any driver.

*** end quote ***

Interesting, but not the way things are organized now.

The Gooferment controls the roads; that’s why they are a disaster. Look at Disney World for how private roads are and could be.

And, notice that the predictor falls into the current meme of “Gooferment roads”? The “road” gives out traffic tickets. ROFL! Like the “road” can go into a court and testify. And, we all KNOW machines never make a mistake. Like that Brit speed camera that would randomly report motorists breaking the speed of sound on a back road quarter mile stretch that was in bad shape. Never make mistakes.

And, we’d miss the pleasure of sitting at a long red light late at night with no traffic anywhere in sight (even in the most densely populated state)! You think the Gooferment, politicians, and bureaucrats will make this better?

And, of course, we all want cars that “automatically” drive us. Argh!

Sorry, I think the technology could do it, but not the people.

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LUGGABLE: Ready to put Linux on LUGGABLE

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Backed up and away we go.

UBUNTU10

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POLITICAL: Affords passengers the right to request a pat-down search (from Tweedle dee Lautenberg)

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

FROM A BLISTERING EMAIL ABOUT THE TSA AND THE FOURTH

*** begin quote ***

Dear Mr. Reinke:    Thank you for contacting me with your concerns about Transportation Security Administration (TSA) aircraft passenger screening procedure. I appreciate hearing from you on this important issue.    The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has begun using advanced imaging technology (AIT) at 70 airports across the country. This technology allows screeners to take a snapshot of passengers without any physical contact to determine if there are dangerous weapons or other contraband hidden under a passenger’s clothes. TSA maintains that passenger privacy is protected by separating the officer attending the passenger from the officer viewing the image and blurring the face of the passenger. The viewing officer is remotely located and images cannot be stored, transmitted, or printed, and they are deleted immediately after viewing. In addition, passengers who do not wish to receive AIT screening can opt out for a physical pat-down.      During consideration of the “Transportation Security Administration Authorization Act” (H.R. 2200) in the House of Representatives, an amendment was considered that would prohibit TSA from using AIT machines for primary screening, require TSA to give passengers a choice of a pat-down search instead of a body scan, and prohibit TSA from storing, transferring, or copying any images. This amendment was included in the final version of the bill passed by the House of Representatives. The “Transportation Security Administration Authorization Act” has been referred to the Senate and is currently pending before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, on which I serve.    In addition, the “American Traveler Dignity Act of 2010” (H.R. 6416) has been introduced in the House of Representatives. This legislation would clarify that TSA and its employees can be sued for subjecting airline passengers to advanced imaging technology or physical contact. This bill is currently pending before the House Judiciary Committee, and similar legislation has not been introduced in the Senate. Please be assured that I will continue to monitor the progress of this legislation and will keep your views in mind should it come for a vote before a Committee on which I serve or the full Senate. Thank you again for contacting me. FRL: mts
Sincerely, Senator Lautenberg
*** end quote ***

SO why do I need TWO US Senators? I get the same response from both of them. So let’s just cut staff and save a lot of money. Argh!

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