January 31, 2015

After 7 - Can't Stop (1990), loving it

January 31, 2015

When will brain-computer interface become available to everyone ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain%E2%80%93computer_interface

ETA: If you consider this toy BCI, it's already here: http://www.necomimi.com/

January 31, 2015

Why do the Republicans hate labor unions so much ?

Is it simply because labor unions demand better working conditions, decent benefits and higher/fair pay ? Is it because labor unions pose a threat to unlimited profits (which is a good thing, IMHO) ? Haven't some Republicans ever been IN a labor union that actually looked out for them ? Are all Republicans so stupid and short-sighted that they can't stand paying union dues in exchange for the long and short-term benefits ?

I've never been in a union, sadly (my profession desperately needed one), but even I see the value in unions. Thank you in advance.

January 31, 2015

Update on Otter browser (old-school Opera clone)

http://otter-browser.org/

It's in its 4th beta now, and it's vastly improved. I'd daresay you could use it for your everyday browsing now.

Planned features to be implemented

1.0.01 - first stable release (2015-06-01) (from link above)

January 30, 2015

So, has everyone at DU in the Northeast dug out completely ?

I heard parts of Long Island got 30" and parts of MA got maybe almost 3 feet ???

January 30, 2015

*****BOG POST*****Obama Mocks Republican Party: ‘Starting To Sound Pretty Democratic’

******BARACK OBAMA GROUP, PLEASE READ RULES, THANK YOU KINDLY****************

http://washington.cbslocal.com/2015/01/30/obama-mocks-republican-party-starting-to-sound-pretty-democratic/

Philadelphia, Pa. (CBS DC) – President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney rekindled their 2012 presidential campaign barbs Thursday, with Obama taking broad shots at the GOP and saying their party platform is “starting to sound pretty Democratic.”

Speaking to the House Democratic caucus in Philadelphia Thursday night, Obama exhorted a rallying cry for Democratic Party policies while taking shots at the Republicans – who hold a 58-seat majority in the House and 54-seat majority in the Senate.

Obama said Republicans are just now realizing that the richest 1 percent of Americans are succeeding while a growing number of Americans are falling into poverty.

“Even though their policies haven’t quite caught up, their rhetoric is starting to sound pretty Democratic,” Obama said of Republicans at the House Democratic retreat. “I consider imitation the highest form of flattery.”

He added that Democratic policies have been successful where Republican positions have failed

January 30, 2015

My thoughts about Manhattan, from a periodic visitor

1- Been to Manhattan in 1964, 1978, 1984, 1989, 1996, 2006 and just a few days ago.

2- I absolutely love the place. Too pricey to live there, though. Big shoebox sized condo = $230,000, no thanks. Don't want to be a renter. Not interested in living in NJ, CT, Brooklyn, etc. (sorry for mistype, conveyed totally wrong impression, wow!)

3- Everyone was great. Even the sedan driver who charged me way too much for a round trip to Jersey City was quite pleasant.

4- I kept getting lost, no sun to orient me. Meh, it was ok. Lost = walked wrong direction for ONE block, so it wasn't that bad. Next time I'll know tips for orienting myself without the sun.

5- Next time I'm flying, no more 20 hours of driving, ugh.

6- I'll go again next year, maybe.

7- Next time I'm paying the money for cabs, to heck with walking!

eta: It sounds like next time, I need to make Brooklyn and/or another borough my destination instead of too-pricey Manhattan.

January 27, 2015

I'm in Manhattan on vacation ask me anything

My apologies to our lovely New Yorkers who hate all this snow!

January 25, 2015

question about corporate IT security

I keep reading these reports of hacker breakins at large companies (i.e, Sony, Target, etc).

Why do these keep happening ? Is it a money issue ? Is it truly impossible, no matter how much resources you throw at it, to prevent unauthorized entry into corporate systems ? I know there are some excellent criminal hackers out there.

Should they go completely offline as much as humanly possible ? I'd hate to be a corporate CIO, especially with inadequate resources.

Thanks in advance, sincere question as always.

Steve

January 21, 2015

African-American group: I was so proud of President Obama last night....

*************This is the African-American group************************

He really put it to the Republicans at times, and was eminently reasonable throughout. I loved the ad lib "I won both times".

The man is a CREDIT to our nation, and will be fondly remembered forever. He is the Jackie Robinson of presidential politics, always a class act and gets the job done as well as he can, with the racism and Republicans to fight every step of the way.

There is no way any human being with a functioning brain can say the man is not a good President. He has done his best under very difficult circumstances.

OK OK, I'll stop singing his praises now. The next two years will be brutal. We need to support him as well as we can.