Sometimes, I stumble on interesting documents that I want to share with the world. This random Focus On The Family document deals with domains they don't want their people e-mailing because of 'delivery issues' in the past. Archived here just in case the original disappears. Interesting how they claim its for 'legislative compliance'.
In the Boise area, I've been noticing these advertisements from the National Association Of Broadcasters talking about how evil individuals are trying to take away broadcast television. The issue at hand, is not that broadcast TV is being taken away, but rather the use of unused frequency ranges called 'white spaces'.
The DTV transition that happened last year freed up alot of space in the TV broadcast ranges - areas that the FCC would like to use to promote new wireless broadband oppertunities. These new broadband technologies wouldn't sit on the same frequency ranges as the DTV signals, but would rather run in the unused spaces that are siting idle.
The FCC has already shot down the NAB after doing research and tests of their own, finding that with the information they found, plus regulations, there won't be any issues with white space devices disrupting television signals. There is alot of great information on the wikipedia page about the issues.
In short, don't let the crying of the NAB fool you - they're trying to stifle new wireless broadband options that the govt and companies want to bring to you.
Found this today on the FSTDT Twitter page.
WARNING: DO NOT VIEW IF YOU ARE EPILEPTIC OR VALUE YOUR EYESIGHT
What is it with the Jesus freaks and website design? Are they all this inept?
Companies are all buzzing about DRM and how it 'protects' their intellectual property, programs, etc. Sometimes, DRM is warranted - take for example, a program like Photoshop - perhaps the most widely used and powerful photo editing program in the world. It's a ripe target for piracy. Other times, DRM is absolutely pointless given what the program does. Take these two examples:
* A program that is used to program and control a specific brand of sewing machine (complete with its own touch screen LCD panel and stylus), to add patterns, styles, etc. The program not only requires a 15k computerized sewing machine, but a rather expensive software package complete with hardware USB dongle to 'authorize' the software to actually install/run. If you lose the dongle, its 1k to replace. One has to ask, how many people in the world would actually have one of these computerized sewing machines, let alone the need for the software package? Unless I missed something and there's a 0day granny hacking group out there pirating this, why oh why would anyone even have the desire to try the program? Are the hackers making doilies on Friday nights now to impress one another?
* A $125 add-on for AutoCAD that embeds spredsheet cells in drawings that requires a licensing server for as little as 2 copies. Not only is the licensing server very unstable and crashes often, but it can't run on a headless machine through RDP. "No problem!" says the company, "run it on one of the workstations!" Ahhh, no. They seemed shocked that we actually had servers with no monitor on them - they've obviously never seen how real companies setup a server room. Meanwhile, no licensing server, no add-on goodness. Half a dozen support incidents later involving replacing the licensing server with a 'custom made' one just for us that supposedly fixed the RDP problems, they opted to give us individual copies that don't require a licensing server. Boom, problem solved, no more whiny CAD people.
In the first example, the obsecurity of the program makes it absolutely useless to anyone who didn't buy the expensive sewing machine, let alone what any self respecing software pirate might downoad (not to mention the bullshit 1k cost to replace the USB dongle). In the second program, not only is the program very specalized and not likely to be used by anyone other then people doing building design, but its not that expensive to begin with and is absolutely useless without AutoCAD.
How many copies of their software do these companies sell each year? I can't imagine they would come anywhere close to Windows 7, Photoshop, or even the current popular computer games. Are they really losing any sales at all to pirates? Seriously.
I'd like to make a request to the republicans, birthers, religious fundamentalists, and all the others who oppose the health care bills being put forth by President Obama...
Please be sure that when you are the age at which you can begin collecting social security benefits, or if you become disabled and are eligible to collect SSD, that you reject the monthly checks, medicare/medicaid, and any other benefits you are entitled to from the govt.
It would be very hypocritical to do so otherwise. Even at 90 years old, you shouldn't need the help of the govt to survive - you have those multi-million dollar pensions, investment accounts, etc. Even if they are bled dry, you can tough it out, right?
Over the years, I've resisted many attempts by people to convert me to their religion. This is a quote of mine from long ago that pissed off quite a few people, but is perhaps one of my most favorite lines of all times:
I was sifting through links and sites online, and noticed something - people spend alot of time praying, but not alot of time doing. So, lets compare what happens when you pray vs doing something.
Plane is flying dangerously close to a mountain. if the pilot:
Prays, 100+ people die as plane slams into side of a mountain. Pilot is labeled as a fool.
Acts, pilot pulls up on his controls and 100+ people survive. Pilot is rewarded for his quick thinking and skills.
Man is hit by bus crossing the street. If the 'good samaritan':
Prays, man dies on the street after several minutes of losing blood. Person is painted as a fool by the media for failing to act.
Acts, calls 911, then uses what he learned in school as a kid, and stops blood loss. Person is considered a hero and respected.
Child needs medical attention and surgery/therapy for cancer. If the parent:
Prays, child continues to get worse, and eventually die. Parents go to jail for neglect and sibblings go to foster homes.
Acts, child goes to hospital and clinics to get life saving procedures. Child grows up and lives a full life.
Homelessness is on the rise, and volunteers are needed for handing out foot, clothing, etc. If the churchgoer:
Prays, help does not arrive for homeless people in the city, and charity has problems finding enough help.
Acts, the homeless are able to eat a warm meal, put on a heavy jacket, and find a dry place to sleep.
In other words, praying accomplishes nothing. Yes, magical things may happen when you pray, and good things may happen - but that's only because someone else decided to act instead of you.
In other words, you were lazy.
Some fun/useful links I think people might enjoy...
1) Your Religion Is False - Ten Stupid Things Smart Christians Believe
I particularly like the part about the mythical man in the sky watching you shower
2) Friendly Atheist - Fingerprints are the Mark of the Beast, Says Kindergarten Teacher
This is why we should require people who influence children to undergo a psych evaluation
3) m:IQ - online backup of contacts, call logs, photos, etc for free. Sorta like Blackberry Enterprise Server.
4) Live Sync - As much as I don't like supporting Microsoft's laughable attempts at competing with others, they did come up with Live Sync (well, bought it from someone else) which is quite useful for keeping documents/folders/etc in sync across multiple machines. Available for both Mac and Windows.
Okay, just an FYI to everyone who uses SOSDG/AHBL services - we have some downtime coming up this Friday.
We're heading to the data center to reorganize and install new equipment including several servers, a beefier router, gig ethernet switching, a serial console server, 8TB of SAN storage, and several other fun toys.
Downtime is expected to last throughout a good portion of Friday morning/afternoon and possibly evening (PST timezone). Don't expect services to work, and BGP will most likely be either down or reliable.
Today, MacHeist released a great pack of free applications for OS X - ShoveBox, WriteRoom, Twitterrific, TinyGrab, Hores Of Orcs, and Mariner Write. Remember, it's all free for the taking for the next few days, so get your free codes and download
1) It's okay to lie and spread falsehoods as long as its in the name of 'god'
2) It's okay to commit illegal acts as long as its in the name of 'god'
3) It's patriotic to be against a black president, but you are a terrorist if he's white.
4) Kids are better off homeless and in orphanages then in same-sex parent households
5) Family values are hatred, intolerance, and murder.
6) Common sense and intelligence are not wanted or welcome in the church.
As I sat in my office 8 years ago, I watched the network monitor go dark on our NYC leg of the backbone - customers, dialup servers, everything, all at once. It was a few minutes after starting to try and reset interfaces that my best friend called me on the phone, and told me to look at the news.
I honestly don't remember all that much after that...
I know I gave up trying to get that leg of the network back working.
I know we had a dumbshit day trader call in and complain because she couldn't do her stock trades. When I told her that 2k people just died, she said she didn't care - not her problem. I realized then just how big a douchebag some people are. She got an earfull.
We closed up the NOC that day at noon. No sense in sitting around wishing things would get better... Hell had just opened wide iin Manhattan.
Laurie Higgins attacked Hemant (The Friendly Atheist) yet again. Being the attention whore she is, it wasn't going to be long before she finally had the guts to post in the comments section. This is my response to her.
If you don’t believe the school has any legal right to do anything about Hemant, then why did you have the brass balls to contact his employer? Could it be you were hoping that by being ’stealth’ about your attempt, he’d not find out? Hate to burst your bubble, but people can smell bullshit a mile away, and usually don’t like underhanded tactics. Just because you won’t do the right thing, doesn’t mean other people will follow suit.
It begs the question WHY you contacted the school board and not the parents? Are you worried that the parents may not agree with you?
Somehow, I happen to think that if given the chance, you’d gladly cause a ruckus in front of Hemant’s home in the name of your plight. Please don’t tell me you wouldn’t – you religious fundamentalists never pass up an oppertunity to spite your opposition.
I wish I had a teacher like Hemant in high school. I probably wouldn’t have been bored out of my mind, and actually enjoyed school. If he was a Christian, would you have the same issue with him being charismatic? Probably not. Even if on the random chance, reading his blog causes a teen to question his faith, is that really a bad thing? If that teen reaffirms his faith after investigating alternatives, isn’t that more powerful then someone who just blindly accepts faith without proper reason? I applaud religious people who take the time to invesitgate other religions and atheism – it shows the mind of a person who isn’t going to get pushed around by others.
On the other hand, that type of person is more likely to follow a non-Christian based religion, so thats dangerous in your mind. Can’t have people thinking on their own!
Couldn’t the same thing be said about religious individuals influencing teens? What if I, an Atheist, have a child in school where their teacher is peddling creationism as a science? Don’t I have a right to be offended then? Oh, forgot, because I’m a heathenistic Atheist, I have no right to be offended at the disgusting behavior fundies show.
Funny, aren’t you doing the equivelant of being racist at this very moment?
So you know exactly how it feels. So, one must ask themselves, why are you doing the same thing to Hemant? Are you that self-righteous and blind that you think this is any different?
I said that other parents may believe that teachers are potential influences but agree with your public promotion of polyamory, homosexuality, “sex-positivity,” and the non-existence of God, in which case they may love for you to become a role model in their children’s lives.
Only the religious fundies would find being open minded a bad thing. This coming from the same group of people who say homosexuality is a more important problem in this country then homelessness, kids not getting medical care, starvation, and murder. Now who’s got their priorities mixed up?
Do not think for a moment that you speak for Jewish or Muslim familiies. Unlike Christians, I know for a fact Jews do not have the drive to convert every person they set their eyes on. Unlike most Christians, both Jewish and Muslim families tend to have traditions they follow more closely without being as picky and choosey like you’all do. They tend to take their faith more seriously, and not just use it as an excuse to attack/hate/murder.
You need to apologize to Hemant, and retract the statements you made to the school board. Regardless, you won’t change the minds of alot of people who now see you as the raving lunatic you are.
I am not the Friendly Atheist. I’m the atheist who’s tired of the bullshit you fundies spew. I’m the atheist who will be bluntly honest about her feelings, regardless of who it offends. I’m the atheist who has no problems taking to task those who unfairly target others. I am also the atheist who supports their friends whenever and whereever they may need me. I’m the atheist who donates her time to charity every time she gets. I’m the atheist who would give her last $5 to a person on the street if I knew it would help them survive another day.
That being said, I’d not want for Hemant to do anything different. He’s a better person then both of us, and for that fact alone, I have the utmost respect and admiration.
As if this hate group couldn't get any more desperate... Laurie Higgins of the Illinois "Family" Institue decided to attack Hemant Mehta of The Friendly Atheist, one of my favorite bloggers, because he's an atheist teacher who...
*dramatic music*
Teaches math in his math class at school??? Yes, you heard me right. Unlike religious school teachers who try to force creationism on students over evolution, he teaches math in his math class! Who would have thought!
By her own ranting and innane rambling admission, Hemant doesn't bring any of his beliefs or feelings into his math class - but the fact he's an atheist (*ghasp*) that makes him unfit to each math.
You can read about her laughable attempt to get Hemant fired from his job, and her getting pissy and sour because a school board member reminded her that she and the IFI could be held liable if anything happens to his employment.
Illinois "Family" Institue, where hate is the new family value!
Today I got a call from "Action Collection Service" of Boise. Had I known who they were, I probably would have let it go to voicemail - but alas, they spoofed their caller ID as just '208'.
In the past, I've had friends call me using calling cards and such, which sometimes show weird caller IDs. So, being the worried person I am, I answered the call.
They spent quite a bit of time trying to tell me what they were doing wasn't a obvious violation of the FDCPA. So, I did some digging, and we've got two levels of action available. The first, is federal.
If you take a look at the FDCPA document here, on page 9, § 807 (10), it specifically states:
Now, I find it hard to believe that this debt collector would have any other justification to spoof their caller ID other then to ensure that consumers do not know who's calling. Hell, they even admitted they used spoofed caller ID information.
The second way, and I'm not sure if this has been enacted as law yet (but it did pass from what I can tell), but S1051 in the first session of 2009 states:
Lines 28/29
Lines 35/36
Here's where we've got the slam dunk.
Line 37/38
If they had just blocked their caller ID rather then messing with it, there would be no issue here. But, because they tampered with outgoing caller ID information, they've lost that protection.
This law was originally intended to combat the car warranty scams and swatting, but in this case, it would also cover debt collectors fooling with their caller ID to prevent consumers from knowing who's calling them.
Payback's a bitch.