I never thought it would happen to me. The feeling it gives you is terrible. The shame is almost overwhelming. The thought of it makes my skin crawl.
What am I referring to? Being behind in child support payments.
Well, I'm not really behind. But, according to the Texas Attorney General Office I am; and I have the garnishment order to prove it.
My former spouse and I agreed on our divorce settlement a few years ago, it was during the last week of February. It was from that day until October before the final divorce decree was done and signed by the judge. Because I didn't have the proper court order, my employer would not take the support payments out of my salary and forward them on to the AG office as specified in the decree. Once I had the final paperwork in hand, I gave a copy to the payroll folks and the payments started coming out of my salary as agreed to.
In the meantime, I paid my support payments to my kids' mom directly. Every payday I wrote a check out and delivered it to her personally. No problem there, everyone was happy.
Fast forward to now. My support payments come up on the every-three-year review. They look in the records and see there is no record of payments made during the 8-month period before the final decree was finished. So they got a court order instructing my employer to take an additional $100 per month out of my salary to start paying back the support they think I didn't pay and they reported this matter to the credit bureaus. Without so much as a letter, a phone call, a "hey we're showing this discrepancy, can you explain it?" Wham! The gavel falls and I'm accused of and found guilty of a crime I did not commit in one fell swoop.
I called the AG Office to find out what the problem was. The garnishment order did not explain anything, it just mentioned the amount I am supposedly behind and ordered the amount to be deducted from my salary. Once the person at the office checked my records, I could immediately see it was a misunderstanding. I can understand where they might get the impression I skipped all those payments; but, given the fact that I have paid on time, every time since then you'd think they'd give me the benefit of a phone call or letter asking what happened to those payments. Nope - guilty!
I can have this backlog erased by merely filling out paperwork outlining the payments I made directly to my former spouse and having her sign it to verify I made the payments. Thankfully, we get along pretty well; I'd hate to think what it would be like if she were inclined to do "stupid ex-spouse" tricks like some I know of.
It's not the money I'm worried about. The worrisome part to me is that someone can be accused and found guilty with no due process, no recourse until after the fact. It's really a shame that our rights, guaranteed by the Constitution, are completely ignored in this type case. That is the real crime.
I believe any man (or woman for that matter) who does not pay their share of support for their children should be considered criminals. Their wages should be garnished and given to the custodial parent to make sure the kids don't go without. However - our Nation is founded on laws and one of the highest of those laws decrees that a person is considered innocent until proven guilty and that everyone is entitled to due process under the law.
If I had been given my due process in this matter, everything could have been settled with far less fanfare without labeling me a "deadbeat dad."
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Visiting Detroit
It's always nice to visit mom and hand around the home of my youth. This trip was inspired by my brother's mention he was having all of his kids visiting, two of whom live with their mom in Georgia. I thought it the perfect opportunity to take my boys and see everyone.
The trip up was uneventful - which is the way I prefer it. We drove up to Dallas (that's where William Shatner could get me the best deal); got through the maze of parking, checking baggage and security with no problem. The only bad part was that we were seated in the very last row of a DC-8, which meant no windows and the seats wouldn't recline. Small things, indeed.
The food is always what gets me when I visit. There are some things you can't normally find outside Michigan and my favorites are: Mock Chicken Legs, Fried Bread (the way mom makes it), and Faygo pop (soda for you folks down in Texas). I always eat way too much when I come here, but it's wonderful.
We visited the Henry Ford Museum. There was a special show called "Rock Stars Cars and Guitars." It wasn't a very big display, but it was interesting. There were quite a few special guitars, mostly from the collection of Rick Nielsen (of Cheap Trick fame). There was one of the original Gibson "Flying 'V'" models, guitars played by Nielsen, Ted Nugent, Billy Gibbons, Jimi Hendrix and many more. There were some very nice cars there which I wish I could have driven instead of just looked at. Two cars were featured in Van Halen videos ("Hot for Teacher" was one) and driven by folks from Elvis (a yellow Pantera) to ZZ Top. There was even the "Yellow Submarine" Rolls to pay tribute to the Beatles (though they only had pictures of John Lennon in the room).
I've probably been to The Henry Ford and Greenfield Village at least a dozen times over the years. Every time I go there's the old cars, planes and trains which have always made up the bulk of the collection, but there are always some new surprises. For anyone who is into history at all, I highly recommend a visit to The Henry Ford. It's worth coming to the Detroit area to visit for a day or two on its own.
My mother knows I don't do anything "Christmasy" until after Thanksgiving because of my protest against commercialism of the holiday. Still, she had to tease me a little. One of the local radio stations (WNIC) was having a "Christmas in July" show playing Christmas music. After shouting that the management of the station should be jailed, and hurriedly switched the radio off. Humph - the effrontery of it all. We did all have a good laugh over it, though.
Lastly, speaking of the Gibson "Flying 'V'" - my 13-year-old son wants a guitar for his birthday. Not just any guitar, but a Fender Stratocaster with a light finish. Not a bad choice. While he was telling me his reason for wanting the "Strat" he mentioned that the Flying "V" wasn't popular until Jimi Hendrix played one. I though that model of guitar was only around since the '70s. We googled it and found that the Flying "V" was first made in the late '50s. And, sure enough, at the exhibit at The Henry Ford there was one of the first Flying "V" guitars which was made in 1958. It's sometimes wild what you learn from your kids.
The trip up was uneventful - which is the way I prefer it. We drove up to Dallas (that's where William Shatner could get me the best deal); got through the maze of parking, checking baggage and security with no problem. The only bad part was that we were seated in the very last row of a DC-8, which meant no windows and the seats wouldn't recline. Small things, indeed.
The food is always what gets me when I visit. There are some things you can't normally find outside Michigan and my favorites are: Mock Chicken Legs, Fried Bread (the way mom makes it), and Faygo pop (soda for you folks down in Texas). I always eat way too much when I come here, but it's wonderful.
We visited the Henry Ford Museum. There was a special show called "Rock Stars Cars and Guitars." It wasn't a very big display, but it was interesting. There were quite a few special guitars, mostly from the collection of Rick Nielsen (of Cheap Trick fame). There was one of the original Gibson "Flying 'V'" models, guitars played by Nielsen, Ted Nugent, Billy Gibbons, Jimi Hendrix and many more. There were some very nice cars there which I wish I could have driven instead of just looked at. Two cars were featured in Van Halen videos ("Hot for Teacher" was one) and driven by folks from Elvis (a yellow Pantera) to ZZ Top. There was even the "Yellow Submarine" Rolls to pay tribute to the Beatles (though they only had pictures of John Lennon in the room).
I've probably been to The Henry Ford and Greenfield Village at least a dozen times over the years. Every time I go there's the old cars, planes and trains which have always made up the bulk of the collection, but there are always some new surprises. For anyone who is into history at all, I highly recommend a visit to The Henry Ford. It's worth coming to the Detroit area to visit for a day or two on its own.
My mother knows I don't do anything "Christmasy" until after Thanksgiving because of my protest against commercialism of the holiday. Still, she had to tease me a little. One of the local radio stations (WNIC) was having a "Christmas in July" show playing Christmas music. After shouting that the management of the station should be jailed, and hurriedly switched the radio off. Humph - the effrontery of it all. We did all have a good laugh over it, though.
Lastly, speaking of the Gibson "Flying 'V'" - my 13-year-old son wants a guitar for his birthday. Not just any guitar, but a Fender Stratocaster with a light finish. Not a bad choice. While he was telling me his reason for wanting the "Strat" he mentioned that the Flying "V" wasn't popular until Jimi Hendrix played one. I though that model of guitar was only around since the '70s. We googled it and found that the Flying "V" was first made in the late '50s. And, sure enough, at the exhibit at The Henry Ford there was one of the first Flying "V" guitars which was made in 1958. It's sometimes wild what you learn from your kids.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Northwest Airlines Phone System Lunacy
First: let me preface these comments by telling I really like Northwest Airlines. I've flown with them many times in the past and I've always gotten good service at a pretty good price. But - their automated phone system leaves a lot to be desired. Here's my story.
I purchased tickets for me and my three sons to fly to Michigan. I normally like to do my travel deals on line, and this was no exception. I got a great deal on Priceline (I've been saying William Shatner negotiated a great deal for me). This was over a month ago.
The other day, I went to Northwest's web site to confirm my reservations and select seats. All I had to do was enter my confirmation number and my reservation for all four tickets was right there on the screen. When I went to pick my seats, however, I noted they were all taken except for the "premium" seats which cost something like $15 extra.
Thinking there was a problem and that the flight was horribly overbooked, I used the handy email form and sent a message. According to the web site I was to get an answer within 2 hours because Northwest has live agents on duty 24/7. I thought that was great service.
When I didn't get an answer by the next morning, some 14 hours later, I was slightly concerned. I knew from watching the news Northwest had been experiencing flight delays and cancellations because of a pilot shortage and bad weather. I thought it prudent to call. That's where my frustration started.
I'm used to automated phone systems, but I still don't like them at all. I especially hate the ones which want you to speak your selection. That just really gets me. It's a machine, for cryin' out loud. Some of them will skip you right to a real person if you hit the zero button enough times. Not this one, though.
So I went through the menu from flight information to reservation confirmations. Here's where the real fun started.
I was given a reservation similar to "3LBB9P." Every time I tried to say the letters and numbers, the machine at the other end got it wrong. "Did you say "3LDDB ... 3LPP9B ... 3LBD9Z?" Finally, after 3 or 4 tries the machine tells me it will connect me to a real person. To which, I got another recording telling me about extra-heavy call volume and my call could not be completed. Hang up.
At this point, I'm a little irritated. But, foolish me, I decide to try it again. I go through the whole mess again, even trying to say my reservation code in the international phonetic alphabet, "Three, Lima, Bravo, Bravo, Niner, Papa" to no avail. And again, I got the "extra-heavy call volume" message and the disconnect.
I'm really ticked off by now, but I had enough sense to quit trying for the time being. Thankfully, I got a reply in my email a little bit after the last call which let me know the reason I couldn't choose seats is because I bought them from another vendor and had to wait until check-in to choose seats. That was not a problem to me because I wasn't too concerned so much about picking seats as I was that the flight would be messed up and I might end up wasting my vacation waiting around in airports. In the end, I checked in on line and was able to choose seats.
Northwest IT/Telecom Folks: Either get a different way to enter reservation numbers or change the codes so we don't have to rely on a computer to differentiate between very like-sounding letters. Even live, human people have trouble hearing the difference between "B," "D," or "P" over the phone. I know I'm not the only one to experience this mess, so do something about it.
One thing I could have tried, but didn't, was to say "Agent" over and over. That works for the electric company's phone system. If I have to call Northwest again, I'll try to remember that trick.
I purchased tickets for me and my three sons to fly to Michigan. I normally like to do my travel deals on line, and this was no exception. I got a great deal on Priceline (I've been saying William Shatner negotiated a great deal for me). This was over a month ago.
The other day, I went to Northwest's web site to confirm my reservations and select seats. All I had to do was enter my confirmation number and my reservation for all four tickets was right there on the screen. When I went to pick my seats, however, I noted they were all taken except for the "premium" seats which cost something like $15 extra.
Thinking there was a problem and that the flight was horribly overbooked, I used the handy email form and sent a message. According to the web site I was to get an answer within 2 hours because Northwest has live agents on duty 24/7. I thought that was great service.
When I didn't get an answer by the next morning, some 14 hours later, I was slightly concerned. I knew from watching the news Northwest had been experiencing flight delays and cancellations because of a pilot shortage and bad weather. I thought it prudent to call. That's where my frustration started.
I'm used to automated phone systems, but I still don't like them at all. I especially hate the ones which want you to speak your selection. That just really gets me. It's a machine, for cryin' out loud. Some of them will skip you right to a real person if you hit the zero button enough times. Not this one, though.
So I went through the menu from flight information to reservation confirmations. Here's where the real fun started.
I was given a reservation similar to "3LBB9P." Every time I tried to say the letters and numbers, the machine at the other end got it wrong. "Did you say "3LDDB ... 3LPP9B ... 3LBD9Z?" Finally, after 3 or 4 tries the machine tells me it will connect me to a real person. To which, I got another recording telling me about extra-heavy call volume and my call could not be completed. Hang up.
At this point, I'm a little irritated. But, foolish me, I decide to try it again. I go through the whole mess again, even trying to say my reservation code in the international phonetic alphabet, "Three, Lima, Bravo, Bravo, Niner, Papa" to no avail. And again, I got the "extra-heavy call volume" message and the disconnect.
I'm really ticked off by now, but I had enough sense to quit trying for the time being. Thankfully, I got a reply in my email a little bit after the last call which let me know the reason I couldn't choose seats is because I bought them from another vendor and had to wait until check-in to choose seats. That was not a problem to me because I wasn't too concerned so much about picking seats as I was that the flight would be messed up and I might end up wasting my vacation waiting around in airports. In the end, I checked in on line and was able to choose seats.
Northwest IT/Telecom Folks: Either get a different way to enter reservation numbers or change the codes so we don't have to rely on a computer to differentiate between very like-sounding letters. Even live, human people have trouble hearing the difference between "B," "D," or "P" over the phone. I know I'm not the only one to experience this mess, so do something about it.
One thing I could have tried, but didn't, was to say "Agent" over and over. That works for the electric company's phone system. If I have to call Northwest again, I'll try to remember that trick.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
History Repeats Itself: Ford to Use Soy Plastic
Ford To Use Soybean-Based Foam In Mustang Seats
Although it may sound like a new idea in this era of searching for alternatives to fossil fuels, Ford actually experimented with soy-based plastics early in its history. Some of the first plastics used in automobiles were made from soybeans, and Ford led the way.
Henry Ford did have his quirks and idiosyncrasies and was downright foolish in his beliefs at times. Say what you will about him, but he and his sons were pioneers in many areas.
I highly recommend "Ford, the Men and the Machine" by Robert Lacey. It is a well-written and well-researched book about the Ford family and the Ford Motor Company from it's beginnings to the modern era (well, at least to the late-80s when the book was published).
Although it may sound like a new idea in this era of searching for alternatives to fossil fuels, Ford actually experimented with soy-based plastics early in its history. Some of the first plastics used in automobiles were made from soybeans, and Ford led the way.
Henry Ford did have his quirks and idiosyncrasies and was downright foolish in his beliefs at times. Say what you will about him, but he and his sons were pioneers in many areas.
I highly recommend "Ford, the Men and the Machine" by Robert Lacey. It is a well-written and well-researched book about the Ford family and the Ford Motor Company from it's beginnings to the modern era (well, at least to the late-80s when the book was published).
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Another Microsoft Conundrum Solved
Here's the scenario:
1. Windows MMIII Server running IIS, multi-homed with 2 NICs, some web sites running on IP Addresses on one NIC, others running on IP Addresses on the other. This was originally set up so that password-protected web sites could be authenticated through a WebSense LDAP call. This server hosts our Intranet web sites.
2. No longer using WebSense and the Networking group wants to replace and get rid of old routers and switches.
3. The server will now run all web sites through one NIC.
Here's what I did:
1. Deleted the IP Address of the NIC which was routed through WebSense. After doing that, I deactivated the NIC.
2. Entered the IP Addresses from the now-deactivated NIC onto the other.
3. Changed the subnet mask and the default router on the one working NIC. Turned off Routing and Remote Access because the static routes that service handled were no longer needed.
4. Restarted the Server.
At this point, I expected everything to route where it was supposed to and we could call it a night after 15 minutes work. Ah, but that was not to be. Computers in the same subnet as the server could access the web sites correctly. But, those which were in other subnets (across the router) could not get the web sites.
I went through and double-checked the IP Addresses, subnet mask, and default gateway on the server. All was correct. I also ran route print to make sure there wasn't anything hanging on from the old routing. There wasn't. I also restarted the server numerous times. (Microsoft Troubleshooting Lesson 1: Always reboot first before doing anything else.)
The networking guys checked, rechecked and checked again all the routing info in the routers and switches which the server's traffic would have to cross.
The interesting twist on this, by the way, was that the server's non HTTP traffic going across the router worked just fine. It could get its dynamic content from the 2 database servers which are each in a different subnet, and it could make the AD LDAP calls for authentication.
Total mystery.
We spend the better part of 2 1/2 hours checking, rechecking, adjusting and changing settings trying to get this server to give it's web pages to everyone needing access to them. No luck.
Finally, one of the networking guys, who was very frustrated, suggest we remove all the IP Addresses off the working NIC and reenter them.
I did that and everything started working. I didn't even have to restart the server again.
So, if anyone out there needs to "un-multi-home" a Windows server, don't just enter the old IP Addresses on the other NIC, remove all the IP Addresses and start over.
One more piece of advice: Remember which was the first IP address you entered on the working NIC and don't take that one off. In our scenario, that was the only IP address which seemed able to communicate across routers. There is something about the first NIC and the first IP Address entered on that NIC that's magical. I'm thinking about my other experience with that IP/NIC problem.
1. Windows MMIII Server running IIS, multi-homed with 2 NICs, some web sites running on IP Addresses on one NIC, others running on IP Addresses on the other. This was originally set up so that password-protected web sites could be authenticated through a WebSense LDAP call. This server hosts our Intranet web sites.
2. No longer using WebSense and the Networking group wants to replace and get rid of old routers and switches.
3. The server will now run all web sites through one NIC.
Here's what I did:
1. Deleted the IP Address of the NIC which was routed through WebSense. After doing that, I deactivated the NIC.
2. Entered the IP Addresses from the now-deactivated NIC onto the other.
3. Changed the subnet mask and the default router on the one working NIC. Turned off Routing and Remote Access because the static routes that service handled were no longer needed.
4. Restarted the Server.
At this point, I expected everything to route where it was supposed to and we could call it a night after 15 minutes work. Ah, but that was not to be. Computers in the same subnet as the server could access the web sites correctly. But, those which were in other subnets (across the router) could not get the web sites.
I went through and double-checked the IP Addresses, subnet mask, and default gateway on the server. All was correct. I also ran route print to make sure there wasn't anything hanging on from the old routing. There wasn't. I also restarted the server numerous times. (Microsoft Troubleshooting Lesson 1: Always reboot first before doing anything else.)
The networking guys checked, rechecked and checked again all the routing info in the routers and switches which the server's traffic would have to cross.
The interesting twist on this, by the way, was that the server's non HTTP traffic going across the router worked just fine. It could get its dynamic content from the 2 database servers which are each in a different subnet, and it could make the AD LDAP calls for authentication.
Total mystery.
We spend the better part of 2 1/2 hours checking, rechecking, adjusting and changing settings trying to get this server to give it's web pages to everyone needing access to them. No luck.
Finally, one of the networking guys, who was very frustrated, suggest we remove all the IP Addresses off the working NIC and reenter them.
I did that and everything started working. I didn't even have to restart the server again.
So, if anyone out there needs to "un-multi-home" a Windows server, don't just enter the old IP Addresses on the other NIC, remove all the IP Addresses and start over.
One more piece of advice: Remember which was the first IP address you entered on the working NIC and don't take that one off. In our scenario, that was the only IP address which seemed able to communicate across routers. There is something about the first NIC and the first IP Address entered on that NIC that's magical. I'm thinking about my other experience with that IP/NIC problem.
Monday, July 09, 2007
Scandal? What Scandal?
I am tired of the endless barrage of criticism and congressional inquiries into the firing of federal prosecutors. It's been months since it happened, and Congress and the media are still wasting time, energy and a lot of hot air over this.
Presidential appointees serve at the behest and pleasure of the president. Those folks were appointed by Bill Clinton when he was president. George Bush is president now and he gets to pick and choose who works for him and who doesn't. It doesn't matter why he fired them, he did. He doesn't have to have a good reason - or any reason. They served at the pleasure of the president and he decided some other folks would work out better.
When Bill Clinton fired federal prosecutors when he was in office, there was no hoopla, no talk of scandal, no congressional inquiries. He fired more people that Bush did and there was hardly a mention of it. Why all the fanfare now?
With all the important things Congress could be working on right now, why are they wasting time on these "small potatoes?" With the real crises our nation faces these days, the firing of a dozen folks hardly rates even a scant mention. They're all smart people and good attorneys. They will land on their feet. The experience they garnered working in their office will help them land some great jobs in the private sector. And, their employment as federal prosecutors was not a contract job. They could be fired at any time, and they knew that going into the job.
Wait a minute, what am I thinking? If the congress is busy making a big fuss over this, maybe they'll be too busy to raise my taxes. Maybe they'll be too busy to pass some stupid law which will end up costing me more of my hard-earned money ...
Hey, what is all this? These people should have never been fired. Congress needs to bear their full attention on this crisis and get Bush! Yeah! I want to see 24/7 congressional inquiries into this matter right now!
Presidential appointees serve at the behest and pleasure of the president. Those folks were appointed by Bill Clinton when he was president. George Bush is president now and he gets to pick and choose who works for him and who doesn't. It doesn't matter why he fired them, he did. He doesn't have to have a good reason - or any reason. They served at the pleasure of the president and he decided some other folks would work out better.
When Bill Clinton fired federal prosecutors when he was in office, there was no hoopla, no talk of scandal, no congressional inquiries. He fired more people that Bush did and there was hardly a mention of it. Why all the fanfare now?
With all the important things Congress could be working on right now, why are they wasting time on these "small potatoes?" With the real crises our nation faces these days, the firing of a dozen folks hardly rates even a scant mention. They're all smart people and good attorneys. They will land on their feet. The experience they garnered working in their office will help them land some great jobs in the private sector. And, their employment as federal prosecutors was not a contract job. They could be fired at any time, and they knew that going into the job.
Wait a minute, what am I thinking? If the congress is busy making a big fuss over this, maybe they'll be too busy to raise my taxes. Maybe they'll be too busy to pass some stupid law which will end up costing me more of my hard-earned money ...
Hey, what is all this? These people should have never been fired. Congress needs to bear their full attention on this crisis and get Bush! Yeah! I want to see 24/7 congressional inquiries into this matter right now!
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Yeah, What He Said - Again
It's funny how things work out sometimes.
Little did I realize while sitting in Detroit's air-conditioned Cobo Arena, my ears assaulted by the screaming feedback and wild guitar playing of the "Motor City Madman" that one day we would live in the same area of Texas and I'd be reading his opinion column in the local paper.
And agreeing with most of what he writes.
His latest column in the Waco Tribune: Terrorists who drink and drive is another example of "Yeah, what he said."
Just over a year ago, some good friends of mine lost a son and grandson because of a drunk driver. This young man was riding in his best friend's Jeep, not wearing a seatbelt. His friend was driving way too fast on a country rode after having a few too many beers. The Jeep went out of control and this young son/grandson/husband/father was ejected from the vehicle and slammed into a tree. He died a few days later because of massive trauma which caused his brain to swell.
Driving while drunk or high on drugs is a leading killer of people in the US. It's not funny and it's not a game. It's a real problem which affects real people in unimaginably horrible ways. Ted describes a great example of a real person whose life was changed in an instant because of someone else's selfishness and stupidity.
"Friends don't let friends drive drunk" should be a way of life, not just a catchy phrase. All the punishment in the world doled out after someone is killed or injured comes too late. Drunk driving needs to be stopped before it happens. Responsible drinking includes someone who doesn't drink who can help those who are drinking by making sensible decisions for them and not letting them get behind the wheel. It's more than just a designated driver, it's a designated thinker
Joining MADD, DADD or SADD is a great idea, but take it a step further and make a promise to yourself that in your circle of friends you will not let them drive while impaired. And let them do the same for you. The rewards are well worth the effort.
Little did I realize while sitting in Detroit's air-conditioned Cobo Arena, my ears assaulted by the screaming feedback and wild guitar playing of the "Motor City Madman" that one day we would live in the same area of Texas and I'd be reading his opinion column in the local paper.
And agreeing with most of what he writes.
His latest column in the Waco Tribune: Terrorists who drink and drive is another example of "Yeah, what he said."
Just over a year ago, some good friends of mine lost a son and grandson because of a drunk driver. This young man was riding in his best friend's Jeep, not wearing a seatbelt. His friend was driving way too fast on a country rode after having a few too many beers. The Jeep went out of control and this young son/grandson/husband/father was ejected from the vehicle and slammed into a tree. He died a few days later because of massive trauma which caused his brain to swell.
Driving while drunk or high on drugs is a leading killer of people in the US. It's not funny and it's not a game. It's a real problem which affects real people in unimaginably horrible ways. Ted describes a great example of a real person whose life was changed in an instant because of someone else's selfishness and stupidity.
"Friends don't let friends drive drunk" should be a way of life, not just a catchy phrase. All the punishment in the world doled out after someone is killed or injured comes too late. Drunk driving needs to be stopped before it happens. Responsible drinking includes someone who doesn't drink who can help those who are drinking by making sensible decisions for them and not letting them get behind the wheel. It's more than just a designated driver, it's a designated thinker
Joining MADD, DADD or SADD is a great idea, but take it a step further and make a promise to yourself that in your circle of friends you will not let them drive while impaired. And let them do the same for you. The rewards are well worth the effort.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Hugo Chavez - Marching to that Totalitarian Beat
Venezuelan Opposition Leader Demands Hugo Chavez Free Jailed Protesters
I just wonder how people can be so fooled. Hugo Chavez is elected to head Venezuela, the parliament gives him dictatorial powers (only for a limited time, though, wink-wink). Now the people are surprised when he puts people who publicly challenge his actions in jail and that he shut down a television station because it aired opinions contrary to what he dictates.
The people who disagree with jailing dissidents and shutting down free media demonstrate and many of them are themselves jailed. It should really come as no surprise the Venezuelan Government is making such moves as these. Not fair? We can still protest peaceably and freely in the United States, but the same is not true of Venezuela.
One person who lives in the United States and enjoys the freedoms of speech, press and assembly is the actor Danny Glover. I have watched many movies in which Mr. Glover appeared. I found his acting to be quite good and the movies he worked on very entertaining.
However, I will no longer watch, rent, buy or otherwise participate in anything Mr. Glover has a hand in. Why? Because Mr. Glover is a huge fan of Hugo Chavez, even going to far as to praise him on Chavez' talk show "Hello, President." (See Hugo Chavez to Finance Danny Glover Movies) He is among a group of celebrities who support Chavez and seem to have no problem with the increasingly totalitarian and communistic government headed by their friend.
Mr. Glover basks in the blessings of freedom he gets by living in the United States. He has every right to go to Venezuela, or anywhere else for that matter, and get financing for his projects from whomever he can.
As someone who defended those rights by spending most of my adult life in the military, I will exercise my right to ignore him completely from now on. To paraphrase something Rush Limbaugh once said: "He has the right to say whatever he wants, but he doesn't have the right to be listened to."
I just wonder how people can be so fooled. Hugo Chavez is elected to head Venezuela, the parliament gives him dictatorial powers (only for a limited time, though, wink-wink). Now the people are surprised when he puts people who publicly challenge his actions in jail and that he shut down a television station because it aired opinions contrary to what he dictates.
The people who disagree with jailing dissidents and shutting down free media demonstrate and many of them are themselves jailed. It should really come as no surprise the Venezuelan Government is making such moves as these. Not fair? We can still protest peaceably and freely in the United States, but the same is not true of Venezuela.
One person who lives in the United States and enjoys the freedoms of speech, press and assembly is the actor Danny Glover. I have watched many movies in which Mr. Glover appeared. I found his acting to be quite good and the movies he worked on very entertaining.
However, I will no longer watch, rent, buy or otherwise participate in anything Mr. Glover has a hand in. Why? Because Mr. Glover is a huge fan of Hugo Chavez, even going to far as to praise him on Chavez' talk show "Hello, President." (See Hugo Chavez to Finance Danny Glover Movies) He is among a group of celebrities who support Chavez and seem to have no problem with the increasingly totalitarian and communistic government headed by their friend.
Mr. Glover basks in the blessings of freedom he gets by living in the United States. He has every right to go to Venezuela, or anywhere else for that matter, and get financing for his projects from whomever he can.
As someone who defended those rights by spending most of my adult life in the military, I will exercise my right to ignore him completely from now on. To paraphrase something Rush Limbaugh once said: "He has the right to say whatever he wants, but he doesn't have the right to be listened to."
Useless Warning Label?
I remember reading once about a web site which displays useless warning labels. I might have found one yesterday while on a business trip to the Gaylord Texan resort in Grapevine, Texas.
In the Gaylord's hotel rooms there is a safe, much like in other hotel rooms. It's not very big, but you can put a notebook computer in it along with other, smaller, items. The nicest feature of this safe is the electrical outlet you can use to charge your computer (or whatever) while it's safely locked up.
While I was packing my stuff to leave, I noticed the warning label on the inside of the safe's door:
It's a little hard to read, but among the other warnings printed on it was, "SUFFOCATION DANGER EXISTS." Here's why I think this might be a useless warning:
You can see from this picture, the safe is not all that big. It's about 24 inches wide by about 6 inches high and about 12 inches deep. There's no way to fit a person in this thing, no matter how small they are.
I suppose, though, there are some folks out there foolish enough to try to stuff a very small cat or a dog in the thing, perhaps allowing the pet to suffocate while their owner was out of the room.
I can imagine a little old lady, sneaking her cat into the hotel in her over sized purse. She is sneaky, alright, but what happens when she has to leave the room for a time? "I can't just put the 'Do Not Disturb' sign up, someone might come in anyway," she thinks to herself. "Aha!" she says to herself, "I'll put Muffy in the safe. That way if someone comes in they won't find her, and the walls are thick enough to muffle any noise she might make. I'll just let her out when I get back."
Tragedy strikes, though, when she returns and finds Muffy dead from lack of oxygen in the safe. Because there was no warning label on the door, the lady sues the hotel and the safe company. Despite the fact she wasn't supposed to have pets in the room and it should be obvious not to put a creature which requires oxygen to stay alive in a box with no air holes, the court awards her $1 million in damages for her pain and suffering.
Maybe it's not such a useless warning after all.
I didn't see a warning, though, to alert the user of an electric shock hazard from the outlet inside the safe. Using the scenario above, instead of suffocating perhaps the poor cat might electrocute itself trying to claw it's way out of the safe. The electrical short could trip the breakers in the hotel and set off alarms all over the place. Then who would get damages: The lady who shouldn't have had her cat in the room in the first place or the Hotel and all the other guests staying there that day?
Sometimes it's just hilarious to see what hoops companies must jump though in order to avoid being successfully sued by people who refuse to take responsibility for their actions.
In the Gaylord's hotel rooms there is a safe, much like in other hotel rooms. It's not very big, but you can put a notebook computer in it along with other, smaller, items. The nicest feature of this safe is the electrical outlet you can use to charge your computer (or whatever) while it's safely locked up.
While I was packing my stuff to leave, I noticed the warning label on the inside of the safe's door:
It's a little hard to read, but among the other warnings printed on it was, "SUFFOCATION DANGER EXISTS." Here's why I think this might be a useless warning:
You can see from this picture, the safe is not all that big. It's about 24 inches wide by about 6 inches high and about 12 inches deep. There's no way to fit a person in this thing, no matter how small they are.I suppose, though, there are some folks out there foolish enough to try to stuff a very small cat or a dog in the thing, perhaps allowing the pet to suffocate while their owner was out of the room.
I can imagine a little old lady, sneaking her cat into the hotel in her over sized purse. She is sneaky, alright, but what happens when she has to leave the room for a time? "I can't just put the 'Do Not Disturb' sign up, someone might come in anyway," she thinks to herself. "Aha!" she says to herself, "I'll put Muffy in the safe. That way if someone comes in they won't find her, and the walls are thick enough to muffle any noise she might make. I'll just let her out when I get back."
Tragedy strikes, though, when she returns and finds Muffy dead from lack of oxygen in the safe. Because there was no warning label on the door, the lady sues the hotel and the safe company. Despite the fact she wasn't supposed to have pets in the room and it should be obvious not to put a creature which requires oxygen to stay alive in a box with no air holes, the court awards her $1 million in damages for her pain and suffering.
Maybe it's not such a useless warning after all.
I didn't see a warning, though, to alert the user of an electric shock hazard from the outlet inside the safe. Using the scenario above, instead of suffocating perhaps the poor cat might electrocute itself trying to claw it's way out of the safe. The electrical short could trip the breakers in the hotel and set off alarms all over the place. Then who would get damages: The lady who shouldn't have had her cat in the room in the first place or the Hotel and all the other guests staying there that day?
Sometimes it's just hilarious to see what hoops companies must jump though in order to avoid being successfully sued by people who refuse to take responsibility for their actions.
Monday, June 04, 2007
Modern Day Indulgences
In the 1500s, it was common practice in the Roman Catholic Church to sell indulgences. According to Catholic doctrine, indulgences are those acts performed by a penitent person to remit for any sins he/she committed. In modern times, this is done through the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession). In Luther's time, however, indulgences could be bought and sold for cash. In this way, the rich could, supposedly, purchase away their sins through monetary donations to the Church.
This led Martin Luther to write his "95 Theses" protesting the sale of indulgences. Forgiveness of sins was the purview of God alone and not something priests, bishops, nor even the Pope (Leo X at that time) could sell for a price. As Luther saw things, it was the responsibility of the individual to seek Christ and gain salvation by the Grace of God alone, which, as St. Paul wrote, "Is a gift from God so that no man could boast."
Sin Credits
In those days, one could purchase "sin credits" to keep themselves out of Hell or cut their time in Purgatory. Today, we have a similar system - the buying and selling of "Pollution Credits" or "Carbon Credits" or "Carbon Offsets."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_credit
Now, anyone who buys into the notion that global warming is human-caused and mostly the fault of those who live in the United States can buy their guilt away by paying someone else to plant a tree, go solar- or wind-power for electricity, or do some other task which will supposedly offset the amount of carbon dioxide their activities might put into the atmosphere.
Like the indulgences of 500 years ago, purchasing carbon offsets merely gives the illusion that a person is really doing something about how much carbon they might put into the atmosphere. Instead of actually doing something about climate change, they purchase their guilt away and do nothing of real substance. Folks like Al Gore don't have to actually do something about their houses, cars and plane trips. They can point to how much they offset their lifestyle ("sins against the environment) through the purchase of these modern indulgences.
If you believe that global climate change is human-caused then go out and do something real about it. Don't let your opinion be overshadowed by the hypocrisy of driving in limos or large SUVs , taking trips on private jets which put more carbon per passenger into the air than regular passenger jets, or using many times the amount of electricity of the average family in a home where only a few people live. Get a smaller car (or a motorcycle or hybrid car), fly with the scheduled airlines, insulate and modernize your home. Don't just put your money where your mouth is - do something real about it and lead by example.
This led Martin Luther to write his "95 Theses" protesting the sale of indulgences. Forgiveness of sins was the purview of God alone and not something priests, bishops, nor even the Pope (Leo X at that time) could sell for a price. As Luther saw things, it was the responsibility of the individual to seek Christ and gain salvation by the Grace of God alone, which, as St. Paul wrote, "Is a gift from God so that no man could boast."
Sin Credits
In those days, one could purchase "sin credits" to keep themselves out of Hell or cut their time in Purgatory. Today, we have a similar system - the buying and selling of "Pollution Credits" or "Carbon Credits" or "Carbon Offsets."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_credit
Now, anyone who buys into the notion that global warming is human-caused and mostly the fault of those who live in the United States can buy their guilt away by paying someone else to plant a tree, go solar- or wind-power for electricity, or do some other task which will supposedly offset the amount of carbon dioxide their activities might put into the atmosphere.
Like the indulgences of 500 years ago, purchasing carbon offsets merely gives the illusion that a person is really doing something about how much carbon they might put into the atmosphere. Instead of actually doing something about climate change, they purchase their guilt away and do nothing of real substance. Folks like Al Gore don't have to actually do something about their houses, cars and plane trips. They can point to how much they offset their lifestyle ("sins against the environment) through the purchase of these modern indulgences.
If you believe that global climate change is human-caused then go out and do something real about it. Don't let your opinion be overshadowed by the hypocrisy of driving in limos or large SUVs , taking trips on private jets which put more carbon per passenger into the air than regular passenger jets, or using many times the amount of electricity of the average family in a home where only a few people live. Get a smaller car (or a motorcycle or hybrid car), fly with the scheduled airlines, insulate and modernize your home. Don't just put your money where your mouth is - do something real about it and lead by example.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
RFID Security In The News Again
Since I took so much time with my EMT class, I'm just now catching up on some news items I bookmarked during the semester. Here are a couple regarding RFID technology, which I regard as a potential security nightmare if not implemented right.
Larry Seltzer has a very good item which was posted to eWeek.com back in March: Uncle Sam's Got an RFID Jones.
Larry hits some very good points both for and against RFID technology using the new, voluntary test program in Washington State where drivers licenses are offered with RFID technology. In the Washington test, the license's RFID chip would only store a unique code which would be linked to the user's personal information stored in a central database. Although using RFID in this way may be safer for those who use it, it's still not a fool proof way to safeguard a persons information. Better implementation? Yes. Totally secure? No way.
I am a realist about computer security. Any data stored anywhere can be exploited given the proper circumstances. Still, I hold my opinion that RFID opens up a security hole big enough to drive a truck through. I agree with Larry on one point: bar codes on licenses can do pretty much the same things RFID can do. Bar codes are not as convenient, but they are a lot easier to safeguard.
Another item I found, also on eWeek.com, was RFID Feared as Possible Terrorist Target by Lisa Vaas. She brings up information on a study by the British Royal Academy which points out that RFID technology could be used to aid terrorists who want to target a particular person or group. In this scenario, the terrorists would plant a bomb somewhere they knew their target would be, set the RFID reader to react when the targeted person came within range of the reader and set off the bomb. In this instance, even if the person's personal data were stored elsewhere and the RFID tag in his/her identification were only encoded with a unique identifier, that unique identifier could be the thing which would set off the bomb.
For now, I'm going to hang on to my opinion that RFID can be useful, but that incorporating it into a system for identification is not a good use for it.
Larry Seltzer has a very good item which was posted to eWeek.com back in March: Uncle Sam's Got an RFID Jones.
Larry hits some very good points both for and against RFID technology using the new, voluntary test program in Washington State where drivers licenses are offered with RFID technology. In the Washington test, the license's RFID chip would only store a unique code which would be linked to the user's personal information stored in a central database. Although using RFID in this way may be safer for those who use it, it's still not a fool proof way to safeguard a persons information. Better implementation? Yes. Totally secure? No way.
I am a realist about computer security. Any data stored anywhere can be exploited given the proper circumstances. Still, I hold my opinion that RFID opens up a security hole big enough to drive a truck through. I agree with Larry on one point: bar codes on licenses can do pretty much the same things RFID can do. Bar codes are not as convenient, but they are a lot easier to safeguard.
Another item I found, also on eWeek.com, was RFID Feared as Possible Terrorist Target by Lisa Vaas. She brings up information on a study by the British Royal Academy which points out that RFID technology could be used to aid terrorists who want to target a particular person or group. In this scenario, the terrorists would plant a bomb somewhere they knew their target would be, set the RFID reader to react when the targeted person came within range of the reader and set off the bomb. In this instance, even if the person's personal data were stored elsewhere and the RFID tag in his/her identification were only encoded with a unique identifier, that unique identifier could be the thing which would set off the bomb.
For now, I'm going to hang on to my opinion that RFID can be useful, but that incorporating it into a system for identification is not a good use for it.
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Your Pants Are Too Small For You!
/* Beginning of rant */
There's the joke stereotype of the plumber, electrician or handyman who goes around wearing pants which are too small for his butt and showing his "butt crack" every time he bends over. I think we need to add teenage and early-20s girls to that stereotype, too.
I know many young ladies want to attract attention to themselves and wear tight, revealing clothes. It's been the trend over the past couple of years to show a bit of belly; and, that trend has been towards more belly and less clothing.
Yesterday, I saw something which really set me off. I parked my car and came around the corner of my townhouse building and saw the teenage next-door neighbor girl sitting on the sprinkler control box outside her front door talking on the phone. The control box is about 4 inches high, and with her back to me, I could see she was sitting on the waist portion of her pants. If she was sitting on the waistband of the pants, then those pants were way too small for her.
My 16-year-old son said to me when we were on an outing not long ago, "Dad, I like looking at girls, but some of them are showing way too much." I take that as an indication the style trend has gone too far.
Parents of young ladies: TAKE YOUR DAUGHTER OUT SHOPPING AND BUY SOME CLOTHES WHICH FIT HER! You are contributing to a bad trend in design if you don't go and get some decent clothes for your kids. And don't give me the "That's all they make" excuse. Somewhere out there are decent-fitting clothes for young ladies. FIND THEM! If the stores you like to shop don't have them, COMPLAIN TO THE MANAGEMENT or SEND AN EMAIL TO THEIR HEAD OFFICE.
Your daughter may complain about having to wear uncool clothes. BE A PARENT AND TEACH HER SOME MODESTY. She isn't going to learn it from the media, their pop star idols, her friends nor anyone else. She has to learn it from you.
/*End of Rant*/
There's the joke stereotype of the plumber, electrician or handyman who goes around wearing pants which are too small for his butt and showing his "butt crack" every time he bends over. I think we need to add teenage and early-20s girls to that stereotype, too.
I know many young ladies want to attract attention to themselves and wear tight, revealing clothes. It's been the trend over the past couple of years to show a bit of belly; and, that trend has been towards more belly and less clothing.
Yesterday, I saw something which really set me off. I parked my car and came around the corner of my townhouse building and saw the teenage next-door neighbor girl sitting on the sprinkler control box outside her front door talking on the phone. The control box is about 4 inches high, and with her back to me, I could see she was sitting on the waist portion of her pants. If she was sitting on the waistband of the pants, then those pants were way too small for her.
My 16-year-old son said to me when we were on an outing not long ago, "Dad, I like looking at girls, but some of them are showing way too much." I take that as an indication the style trend has gone too far.
Parents of young ladies: TAKE YOUR DAUGHTER OUT SHOPPING AND BUY SOME CLOTHES WHICH FIT HER! You are contributing to a bad trend in design if you don't go and get some decent clothes for your kids. And don't give me the "That's all they make" excuse. Somewhere out there are decent-fitting clothes for young ladies. FIND THEM! If the stores you like to shop don't have them, COMPLAIN TO THE MANAGEMENT or SEND AN EMAIL TO THEIR HEAD OFFICE.
Your daughter may complain about having to wear uncool clothes. BE A PARENT AND TEACH HER SOME MODESTY. She isn't going to learn it from the media, their pop star idols, her friends nor anyone else. She has to learn it from you.
/*End of Rant*/
Anyone Remember Sir Graves Ghastly?
I'm really "digging" up some stuff up from my childhood in the Detroit area.
A few days ago I was thinking about a Saturday afternoon show where a "vampire" host named Sir Graves Ghastly would show old '50s and '60s horror movies. I remember spending many a cold winter Saturday afternoon watching Sir Graves and his cast of characters (all played by Lawson Deming). I think I saw the original "The Mummy" at least a dozen times in those years. I also remember thinking Boris Carloff was in every horror movie ever made.
The man who played Sir Graves, Lawson Deming, passed away just last month. Other than Bozo or Oopsy the Clown, I don't think there is another celebrity who was more popular amongst kids who grew up in the Detroit area in the '70s.
http://www.sirgravesghastly.com
A few days ago I was thinking about a Saturday afternoon show where a "vampire" host named Sir Graves Ghastly would show old '50s and '60s horror movies. I remember spending many a cold winter Saturday afternoon watching Sir Graves and his cast of characters (all played by Lawson Deming). I think I saw the original "The Mummy" at least a dozen times in those years. I also remember thinking Boris Carloff was in every horror movie ever made.
The man who played Sir Graves, Lawson Deming, passed away just last month. Other than Bozo or Oopsy the Clown, I don't think there is another celebrity who was more popular amongst kids who grew up in the Detroit area in the '70s.
http://www.sirgravesghastly.com
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Random Thoughts For Early April
My EMT class continues to keep me very busy. I'm doing quite well in the academic portion of the class, but I do need some work on patient assessments in the skills area. I did 4 shifts at our local hospital's Emergency Department. Let me tell you, there is a heck of a lot to learn on the "other side of the waiting room." I can understand why it takes so long to be seen and sometimes treated. They really do go on a "sickest goes first" system. I have a new appreciation for the staff working emergency medicine.
I have done 1 out of the 4 shifts with an EMS service, which is also required for my class. In a 14 hour shift, we only went on 3 calls. That's pretty slow for them as I understand it. The ride-along was also very, very interesting.
I found an old friend I knew in the Army whom I last communicated with over 20 years ago. It was great to catch up and see what he's been up to. This is one of those guys I knew who "fell off the face of the Earth" never to be heard from again. Google is a great tool for finding people.
I got a few new CDs in the past couple of weeks. My wife got me the latest (and potentially last) release from Bob Seger. There are some good tunes on it, though they are not what I would call "typical Seger." I also got "Anthology" by The J. Geils Band. They did a great job grouping tunes together so the first CD is all studio stuff and the second CD is mostly live. The J. Geils Band is one of those who did their best stuff live, though they did a lot of great studio work as well.
There are some classic rock acts which sound better live, some which sound better in the studio and some which have great work in both realms. Here is a list of my opinions, you can take them or leave them:
I have done 1 out of the 4 shifts with an EMS service, which is also required for my class. In a 14 hour shift, we only went on 3 calls. That's pretty slow for them as I understand it. The ride-along was also very, very interesting.
I found an old friend I knew in the Army whom I last communicated with over 20 years ago. It was great to catch up and see what he's been up to. This is one of those guys I knew who "fell off the face of the Earth" never to be heard from again. Google is a great tool for finding people.
I got a few new CDs in the past couple of weeks. My wife got me the latest (and potentially last) release from Bob Seger. There are some good tunes on it, though they are not what I would call "typical Seger." I also got "Anthology" by The J. Geils Band. They did a great job grouping tunes together so the first CD is all studio stuff and the second CD is mostly live. The J. Geils Band is one of those who did their best stuff live, though they did a lot of great studio work as well.
There are some classic rock acts which sound better live, some which sound better in the studio and some which have great work in both realms. Here is a list of my opinions, you can take them or leave them:
- Ted Nugent: Definitely better live. I might be a bit biased since I saw him live 4 times when I was younger. He is a great entertainer and I think "Double Live Gonzo" is some of his best work - even if he didn't record "Motor City Madhouse" in Detroit.
- Rush: These guys did some fantastic tunes; "The Spirit of Radio," "Free Will," "Tom Sawyer," "Time Stands Still" are among my favorite songs of all time. However, I cannot stand their live stuff. I know a lot of people will disagree with my opinion here (my wife certainly does) but I prefer Rush in the studio rather than live.
- Bob Seger: Here's one who stands equally well both live and in the studio. "Live Bullet" has some of his best work, but there are a few "clinkers" on there too. There are some timeless Seger tunes which were done in the studio.
- The J. Geils Band: They have 3 songs which I think are some of the best live recordings of all time: "First I Look At The Purse," "Whammer Jammer/Hard Drivin' Man" and "Land of 1000 Dances." If you've never heard J. Geils' cover of "Land of 1000 Dances" you've never heard "Land of 1000 Dances." They also did some great studio stuff, though some of the "Disco"-sounding tunes I can take or leave.
- Journey: Definitely better in the studio.
- REO Speedwagon: Great in the studio. However, the studio version of "Riding the Storm Out" isn't even the same song as the live version. I would hate that song if it weren't for the live version.
- Lynyrd Skynyrd: Great in the studio, but their live version of "Free Bird" is my favorite of their work.
- The Who: I think better in the studio than live. Their live version of "Summertime Blues" is a classic in my opinion.
- Led Zeppelin: I don't like the live stuff I've heard from them. Definitely better in the studio. I will throw out there, though, Heart's live cover of "Rock and Roll" is excellent.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Detroit - Rock City
I love it here in Texas, but sometimes I get a little homesick for all the favorites I had as a kid. Anyone out there who grew up in the Detroit Area in the late '70s and '80s remember:
It seems to me that every club had live music at least once a week, and there were plenty of concert venues both large and small. The site boasts it has 860 bands cataloged, and I would not doubt that in the least. I am even a former member of a few long-haired rock and roll garage bands - which unfortunately never got past the garage stage of development.
Another site sent to me by an old Army friend who grew up in the Detroit Area is Detroit Memories. This site is a collection of lists of things Detroit from the '50s through the '70s. There is even a link to an on-line store where you can order goodies only available from Detroit (Faygo Rock and Rye, anyone?). I have to admit, I have to have a Vernor's fix everyone once in a while, so I hop down to my local HEB and get a 6-pack from time to time. HEB is the only store I know in Central Texas which sells Vernor's, a long-time Detroit favorite still only available on a limited basis outside Michigan.
- "WRIF, The home of rock and roll, BABY!"
- The "Live at Hart Plaza" local music concert series
- JJ and the Morning Crew
- "It's me, Arthur P" Penhollow "The Grand Poobah of Rock and Roll"
- The Dick the Bruiser Band
- D.R.E.A.D - Detroit Rockers Engaged in the Abolition of Disco
- WABX and the Steve Dahl show
- WWWW - W4 changing from Album-Oriented Rock to Country and Western with no warning on a Monday morning
- Marshall Crenshaw
- Muggsy
- The Romantics before they made it big
- Bob Seger selling out 5 shows at Cobo in one day
- The Numerous Ted Nugent Tours - except the one at the Acoustically Imperfect Pontiac Silverdome where The Cars were the opening band and they both sounded terrible in the nose-bleed seats
- Ted Nugent's campaign to make "Wang Dang Sweet Poontang" the Michigan state song? (I still have a letter from Gov. William Milliken's office outline why that would not be an appropriate song)
- I could go on for a while on this list ...
It seems to me that every club had live music at least once a week, and there were plenty of concert venues both large and small. The site boasts it has 860 bands cataloged, and I would not doubt that in the least. I am even a former member of a few long-haired rock and roll garage bands - which unfortunately never got past the garage stage of development.
Another site sent to me by an old Army friend who grew up in the Detroit Area is Detroit Memories. This site is a collection of lists of things Detroit from the '50s through the '70s. There is even a link to an on-line store where you can order goodies only available from Detroit (Faygo Rock and Rye, anyone?). I have to admit, I have to have a Vernor's fix everyone once in a while, so I hop down to my local HEB and get a 6-pack from time to time. HEB is the only store I know in Central Texas which sells Vernor's, a long-time Detroit favorite still only available on a limited basis outside Michigan.
Sunday, March 04, 2007
More RFID Security News
Nixed: Black Hat talk on RFID access badge risks
ACLU, Outrage Fill in the Silence at Black Hat RFID Session
I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who has grave concerns about the security of using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology being used as a form of official ID. During a recent conference, IOActive, a small security firm, was to give a talk on the inherent lack of security in an RFID badge system used by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). IOActive has its officed in the same building as FEMA and was curious about how good their security using RFID was.
The people at IOActive were quite successful in showing how vulnerable the RFID badges used are. So successful were they, that the company which developed the system used by FEMA, HID Global, threatened legal action against IOActive if they proceeded with their talk under the guise of protecting their intellectual property. IOActive, being a relatively small company which doesn't have access to legions of attorneys, were forced to skip the portion of their talk which directly illustrated the inherent weaknesses in the badge system HID Global markets, and which is used to access the FEMA offices in the building shared with IOActive.
Even the ACLU took note of this incident. They did their own experiments with RFID technology and found that the RFID standards currently planned to fulfill requirements of the Real ID Act are inherently flawed and will cause more problems than it will solve. As I have pointed out before here and here, it would be remarkably easy for someone to build an RFID reader, walk through a crowd of people carrying RFID enabled devices and gather a large amount of personal information which has the potential of enabling the "bad guys" to steal the identities of the people in that crowd.
I highly encourage everyone to educate themselves on RFID; how it works, how it's used now and how it might be mandated for use later. I believe everyone can understand enough about how it works to be as concerned as I am that it is not a good idea to use a means of personal identification.
ACLU, Outrage Fill in the Silence at Black Hat RFID Session
I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who has grave concerns about the security of using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology being used as a form of official ID. During a recent conference, IOActive, a small security firm, was to give a talk on the inherent lack of security in an RFID badge system used by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). IOActive has its officed in the same building as FEMA and was curious about how good their security using RFID was.
The people at IOActive were quite successful in showing how vulnerable the RFID badges used are. So successful were they, that the company which developed the system used by FEMA, HID Global, threatened legal action against IOActive if they proceeded with their talk under the guise of protecting their intellectual property. IOActive, being a relatively small company which doesn't have access to legions of attorneys, were forced to skip the portion of their talk which directly illustrated the inherent weaknesses in the badge system HID Global markets, and which is used to access the FEMA offices in the building shared with IOActive.
Even the ACLU took note of this incident. They did their own experiments with RFID technology and found that the RFID standards currently planned to fulfill requirements of the Real ID Act are inherently flawed and will cause more problems than it will solve. As I have pointed out before here and here, it would be remarkably easy for someone to build an RFID reader, walk through a crowd of people carrying RFID enabled devices and gather a large amount of personal information which has the potential of enabling the "bad guys" to steal the identities of the people in that crowd.
I highly encourage everyone to educate themselves on RFID; how it works, how it's used now and how it might be mandated for use later. I believe everyone can understand enough about how it works to be as concerned as I am that it is not a good idea to use a means of personal identification.
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Going Back To School
For some time, now, I've wanted to go to school to earn certification as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). There are a number of reasons why I want to do this, chief among them is my membership in my "real" employer's Emergency Response Team. (Yes, I have a day job - sitting around and "opinionating" about stuff only pays off for the lucky few).
I haven't been to a real college-level class for quite some time. My computer geek duties send me to technical classes, seminars and conferences a few times a year, but those are normally only a week long and there are no exams. This class runs twice a week for 4 hours and 8 hours on the semiweekly Saturday. There are real tests to study for and homework! This is the real deal, let me tell you.
Most of the members of the class are much younger than I. Many of them are either working towards being a paramedic or firefighter and a few who are looking to hire on with an EMS service to help pay their way through nursing school. That makes for interesting discussions coming from many different points of view.
This class is really keeping me busy, too. There is a lot to learn, as I expected there would be. But I was unprepared for the sheer volume of information. I knew a little about medical stuff and first aid from my time in the Army, but this class goes way beyond anything I learned in the past.
I welcome the challenge, though. I passed the first exam with an 89 and I look to pass the next exam as well. Homework and study!
I'll update later.
I haven't been to a real college-level class for quite some time. My computer geek duties send me to technical classes, seminars and conferences a few times a year, but those are normally only a week long and there are no exams. This class runs twice a week for 4 hours and 8 hours on the semiweekly Saturday. There are real tests to study for and homework! This is the real deal, let me tell you.
Most of the members of the class are much younger than I. Many of them are either working towards being a paramedic or firefighter and a few who are looking to hire on with an EMS service to help pay their way through nursing school. That makes for interesting discussions coming from many different points of view.
This class is really keeping me busy, too. There is a lot to learn, as I expected there would be. But I was unprepared for the sheer volume of information. I knew a little about medical stuff and first aid from my time in the Army, but this class goes way beyond anything I learned in the past.
I welcome the challenge, though. I passed the first exam with an 89 and I look to pass the next exam as well. Homework and study!
I'll update later.
Monday, February 12, 2007
"It Takes A Thief" and "The Apprentice"
My wife and I have been watching The Discovery Channel's "It Takes A Thief" for a few months now. It's an interesting show where two ex-burglars case out a home, convince the residents to let them rob the place, show them where their security is lax and then outfit them with tools to help them keep their homes safe. It's astounding how many people don't even lock their doors. When I consider that most of the episodes I've seen are done in the New York City area, I am even more astounded. (I'm not knocking New York City - crime tends to be higher in any large, urban center and locking doors should be a given anywhere one might live). What really gets me going, though, is how many people keep large amounts of cash in their homes. I'm talking about amounts above $1000.
I might be naive about such things, but isn't it safer to put money in the bank? Even if a thief took your bank statements or ATM cards, you would still have a chance to stop them by reporting the theft to your bank and having them freeze your account. Once the cash is gone, it's gone. It doesn't make sense to me. I can understand keeping a couple hundred dollars around the house for emergencies, but any more than that I don't understand. I'm not trying to be critical of those who keep such amounts of cash in their homes, I'm trying to understand the purpose behind it. It seems very counter-intuitive to me.
Another show I enjoy is "The Apprentice." "The Donald" is a very interesting character to me. Whatever you might think about him, you have to admit he is successful at what he does. It's fascinating to watch how he selects the people to be fired.
In this season of the show, the team which loses the given task not only has to go to the boardroom where "... somebody will be fired," but they also must live in the back yard of the mansion where the teams are housed. They're provided tents, cots, chairs, showers, grills and other necessities for life.
What amazes me the most is the way some of the the would-be apprentices whine about having to live outside. Here, they are given the opportunity of a lifetime to possibly work for the Trump Organization and instead of concentrating on that, a couple of them just go on and on about having to live in a tent. One person actually quit because she couldn't handle it.
I like living indoors with all the conveniences living in the US offers. But, I have spent a lot of time living in tents, sleeping on cots, dealing with the weather, etc. What was I doing at the time? I was out there training to defend our Nation so we could all enjoy the freedoms we have. There are men and women out there right now doing the same thing (and in addition taking fire, no less) so these folks could have the opportunity they have to better their lives and possibly make a lot of money doing it.
I say: Take advantage of the opportunity you have and don't complain so much about having to live in a tent. Staying inside the mansion is the prize you get for winning. Take responsibility, focus, work harder and win the next task. Then, you can move into the mansion and the other team can sleep under the stars.
I might be naive about such things, but isn't it safer to put money in the bank? Even if a thief took your bank statements or ATM cards, you would still have a chance to stop them by reporting the theft to your bank and having them freeze your account. Once the cash is gone, it's gone. It doesn't make sense to me. I can understand keeping a couple hundred dollars around the house for emergencies, but any more than that I don't understand. I'm not trying to be critical of those who keep such amounts of cash in their homes, I'm trying to understand the purpose behind it. It seems very counter-intuitive to me.
Another show I enjoy is "The Apprentice." "The Donald" is a very interesting character to me. Whatever you might think about him, you have to admit he is successful at what he does. It's fascinating to watch how he selects the people to be fired.
In this season of the show, the team which loses the given task not only has to go to the boardroom where "... somebody will be fired," but they also must live in the back yard of the mansion where the teams are housed. They're provided tents, cots, chairs, showers, grills and other necessities for life.
What amazes me the most is the way some of the the would-be apprentices whine about having to live outside. Here, they are given the opportunity of a lifetime to possibly work for the Trump Organization and instead of concentrating on that, a couple of them just go on and on about having to live in a tent. One person actually quit because she couldn't handle it.
I like living indoors with all the conveniences living in the US offers. But, I have spent a lot of time living in tents, sleeping on cots, dealing with the weather, etc. What was I doing at the time? I was out there training to defend our Nation so we could all enjoy the freedoms we have. There are men and women out there right now doing the same thing (and in addition taking fire, no less) so these folks could have the opportunity they have to better their lives and possibly make a lot of money doing it.
I say: Take advantage of the opportunity you have and don't complain so much about having to live in a tent. Staying inside the mansion is the prize you get for winning. Take responsibility, focus, work harder and win the next task. Then, you can move into the mansion and the other team can sleep under the stars.
Monday, January 29, 2007
Trip To Fredericksburg, Texas
My wife and I completed our Third Annual Honeymoon yesterday, which was a trip to Fredericksburg, Texas. Fredericksburg is a nice, touristy-type town in the Texas Hill Country, a little south-west of Austin and a little north-west of San Antonio.
During our visit we stayed at the Main Street Bed and Breakfast. This was the first B&B experience for both us, and it was quite nice. The rooms for this particular B&B are situated on the second floor of an older building, upstairs from shops and a B&B reservation service. The room was a little on the small side, but very nice and clean. A very nice breakfast was delivered to us every morning between 8:30 and 9:00 am. A lot of attention paid to the decor of the room, with pictures on the walls, antique furniture and a 4-poster bed. My favorite part of the room was a giant spa tub in the bath. It was large enough to fit the two of us quite comfortably and was equipped with lots of jets. Since the water heater was situated in the closet of the bathroom, there was more than enough hot water to fill the thing. Very relaxing - I loved it.
Fredericksburg seems to be known chiefly for 4 things: the German heritage of it's founders and residents, shopping, wine and the National Museum of the Pacific War.
The German theme is noted all along the main street (US Highway 290 and is appropriately named "Hauptstasse"). There are a number of German-style restaurants and many of the shops sell German-themed goods.
We ate at two very good restaurants during our stay. The Brewery combined Tex-Mex, German and American food with a microbrewery making for a great dining experience. The food came in generous portions and the beer was excellent. We waddled out of there more than a little full. The onion rings were particularly tasty. "Der Lindenbaum" is a small restaurant set up very much like an authentic German Gasthaus. Here, the food was excellent and tasted very authentic. I'd rather have had spaetzle with my Jaegerschnitzel instead of mash potatoes, but I think making spaetzle is an art not too common in America. They had the Franziskaner Dunkelweitzen beer on tap - very unusual outside of Germany. That was a great capper to a great meal.
There are a number of very good specialty shops along Main Street. One of the more interesting was Rustin' Bob's Texas Gourmet Foods. This store features a very large variety of Texas-produced goodies, home made fudge, and the largest collection of hot sauces for sale I've ever seen. My wife picked up a jar of jalapeño peanut butter, which she said was quite tasty (I think it's an abomination - but that's a story for another time). We picked up a 1/2 pound of fudge, but I think my wife ate it while I wasn't looking. I did get enough of a taste of the free samples to know that fudge is among the best I've ever had and would run a close race to Mackinac Island Fudge.
There was also a unique bath shop which I forgot the name of. They had the funniest rubber duckies, including a Mr. T one. (I've had enough of your jibber-jabber. You stink! Get in the tub, fool!).
There are a number of wine shops in Fredericksburg. We visited two: Texas Vineyards & Beyond and the Fredericksburg Winery. Texas Vineyards & Beyond features wines from all over the world, and especially from Texas. I knew there were some wineries in Texas, but I had no idea there were over 100 as wells as a number of excellent vineyards. The people there were very helpful, and of course, assisted with some samples. The Fredericksburg Winery makes their own wine for sale. Some of it was excellent and bought a couple, three bottles. The owner is also a big supporter of our troops overseas, which is a big plus in my eyes.
I think the highlight of our trip was our visit to The National Museum of the Pacific War
(originally called the "Nimitz Museum" because Chester Nimitz was born in Fredericksburg, and the museum was once housed in a hotel owned by his family). The museum holds a vast collection of artifacts, displayed in chronological order from the opening of Japan to the West to the signing of the surrender in Tokyo Bay. It was almost too much to take in. We spent almost 3 hours walking through and reading all the displays. There is even a Japanese mini-sub which was part of the attack on Pearl Harbor, but missed its target and ran aground elsewhere on Hawaii. A few blocks from the main museum is a tour of displays depicting an airfield, a PT Boat base and a typical beach head as it would have been defended by the Japanese in those days. This tour took about an hour and was well worth it.
All in all it was a great trip. I highly recommend a visit to Fredericksburg.
Note: I was not compensated in any way for any of the opinions given here. They are my own and I am not paid to endorse any product or company.
During our visit we stayed at the Main Street Bed and Breakfast. This was the first B&B experience for both us, and it was quite nice. The rooms for this particular B&B are situated on the second floor of an older building, upstairs from shops and a B&B reservation service. The room was a little on the small side, but very nice and clean. A very nice breakfast was delivered to us every morning between 8:30 and 9:00 am. A lot of attention paid to the decor of the room, with pictures on the walls, antique furniture and a 4-poster bed. My favorite part of the room was a giant spa tub in the bath. It was large enough to fit the two of us quite comfortably and was equipped with lots of jets. Since the water heater was situated in the closet of the bathroom, there was more than enough hot water to fill the thing. Very relaxing - I loved it.
Fredericksburg seems to be known chiefly for 4 things: the German heritage of it's founders and residents, shopping, wine and the National Museum of the Pacific War.
The German theme is noted all along the main street (US Highway 290 and is appropriately named "Hauptstasse"). There are a number of German-style restaurants and many of the shops sell German-themed goods.
We ate at two very good restaurants during our stay. The Brewery combined Tex-Mex, German and American food with a microbrewery making for a great dining experience. The food came in generous portions and the beer was excellent. We waddled out of there more than a little full. The onion rings were particularly tasty. "Der Lindenbaum" is a small restaurant set up very much like an authentic German Gasthaus. Here, the food was excellent and tasted very authentic. I'd rather have had spaetzle with my Jaegerschnitzel instead of mash potatoes, but I think making spaetzle is an art not too common in America. They had the Franziskaner Dunkelweitzen beer on tap - very unusual outside of Germany. That was a great capper to a great meal.
There are a number of very good specialty shops along Main Street. One of the more interesting was Rustin' Bob's Texas Gourmet Foods. This store features a very large variety of Texas-produced goodies, home made fudge, and the largest collection of hot sauces for sale I've ever seen. My wife picked up a jar of jalapeño peanut butter, which she said was quite tasty (I think it's an abomination - but that's a story for another time). We picked up a 1/2 pound of fudge, but I think my wife ate it while I wasn't looking. I did get enough of a taste of the free samples to know that fudge is among the best I've ever had and would run a close race to Mackinac Island Fudge.
There was also a unique bath shop which I forgot the name of. They had the funniest rubber duckies, including a Mr. T one. (I've had enough of your jibber-jabber. You stink! Get in the tub, fool!).There are a number of wine shops in Fredericksburg. We visited two: Texas Vineyards & Beyond and the Fredericksburg Winery. Texas Vineyards & Beyond features wines from all over the world, and especially from Texas. I knew there were some wineries in Texas, but I had no idea there were over 100 as wells as a number of excellent vineyards. The people there were very helpful, and of course, assisted with some samples. The Fredericksburg Winery makes their own wine for sale. Some of it was excellent and bought a couple, three bottles. The owner is also a big supporter of our troops overseas, which is a big plus in my eyes.
I think the highlight of our trip was our visit to The National Museum of the Pacific War
(originally called the "Nimitz Museum" because Chester Nimitz was born in Fredericksburg, and the museum was once housed in a hotel owned by his family). The museum holds a vast collection of artifacts, displayed in chronological order from the opening of Japan to the West to the signing of the surrender in Tokyo Bay. It was almost too much to take in. We spent almost 3 hours walking through and reading all the displays. There is even a Japanese mini-sub which was part of the attack on Pearl Harbor, but missed its target and ran aground elsewhere on Hawaii. A few blocks from the main museum is a tour of displays depicting an airfield, a PT Boat base and a typical beach head as it would have been defended by the Japanese in those days. This tour took about an hour and was well worth it.All in all it was a great trip. I highly recommend a visit to Fredericksburg.
Note: I was not compensated in any way for any of the opinions given here. They are my own and I am not paid to endorse any product or company.
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Pizza Patron Pesos Controversy - Why Should You Care?
Texas-Based Pizza Chain Accepts Pesos
In my opinion, you really shouldn't care. This is a tempest in a tea cup if I ever saw one. I completely understand the national debate over illegal immigration. However, I doubt if anyone is going to sneak across the border and go all the way up to Dallas just to get a pie from Pizza Patron. There are doubtless a number of pizza places in border towns up and down the US-Mexico border which take pesos and don't require a 12-hour drive to pick up an order.
Death threats? Get real people. Unless you have a Pizza Patron restaurant nearby and have some pesos sitting around, there really isn't a reason to get mixed up in all this. Besides, there are far better ways to express your displeasure over the practices of a business besides making death threats. Organize a boycott, picket outside the restaurants, email the company, write letters to the editor, etc.
In my opinion, you really shouldn't care. This is a tempest in a tea cup if I ever saw one. I completely understand the national debate over illegal immigration. However, I doubt if anyone is going to sneak across the border and go all the way up to Dallas just to get a pie from Pizza Patron. There are doubtless a number of pizza places in border towns up and down the US-Mexico border which take pesos and don't require a 12-hour drive to pick up an order.
Death threats? Get real people. Unless you have a Pizza Patron restaurant nearby and have some pesos sitting around, there really isn't a reason to get mixed up in all this. Besides, there are far better ways to express your displeasure over the practices of a business besides making death threats. Organize a boycott, picket outside the restaurants, email the company, write letters to the editor, etc.
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