Birthday Cake

I was surprised when I was asked for identification this morning when purchasing tobacco. When they saw that today is my birthday, they gave me a treat.



See? Not every convenience store owner not born in this country is bad. You've just got to know how to talk to people. And you've also got to be me.

Happy Birthday, Avril.

That's right. Today is Avril Lavigne's birthday. Also born today were Samuel Adams, Thomas Nast, Cheryl Tiegs, Meat Loaf, Gwyneth Paltrow, Google, and I.

As of this post time, I am 28 years old. In the word of Richard Nixon:

"Shit."

New Idea I Like

I'm not an operating system programmer, but I'm willing to bet that there is a lot of work being done to make Windows Vista more secure. Microsoft has said fairly often that it listens to its customers and gives them what they want. Given their market share in the desktop operating system world, their strategy seems to be working.

I've found another company that listens to its customers and responds in a fashionable manner: Holiday Inn. Namely, the Holiday Inn Express chain they've got going. The shower heads are great. The rooms are usually quiet, clean, and inviting, and they've pushed the envelope even further as they have now gotten rid of the bedspread.

What did we all do with that thing anyway? If I didn't throw it on the floor when I arrived, it certainly worked its own way off the bed before morning. And usefulness - well, what good is an itchy, 20-year-old blanket that doesn't keep anyone warm? My wife says they never get washed, either. This change is good in many ways. I'd love to get into that, but I've got some tests to run (note the time of this post).

Learning RSS and CSS for Little Gain

I've been hired to create a website for a local writer who wants to do a podcast. He is using the university's equipment to create his audio program, and they let him because it's not-for-profit. He eventually wants to take it and go a bit commercial and try to make some money.

So here's the thing. I helped him get his domain name and hosting account. Showed him what it's all about. That's what I do - I'm a consultant. I built a simple front page for the site (he said his main content would be the podcast) and I thought I was done.

Now my phone rings nearly every day so he can tell me that he's not pleased with the layout and the level of professionalism that the site has, and "...could it be more like the BBC site?"

Well, yeah, if you were paying me $80K to do it. But this is nonprofit. And you're paying a student a pennance. A student, by the way, who works full-time and squeezes in his classes among the hundreds of miles driven every week, his family, and the rest of his life. Calm down, sir, or find someone else. I'm not a starving student, and you haven't recorded a single word yet.

Nothing Beats the End of a Good Day

Washing the Car with Daddy

Sep 25, 2006 - 30 Photos

Sooooo Ready for it

I am very anxious for my schooling to be done, or to quit my job (one has to go soon). Autumn is coming and I would love to do more outside - the weather yesterday was wonderful, that is, at least when I went to check the mail. It could have been raining the rest of the time, but it was very nice with a cool breeze when I went out.

I just read some news briefs from a paper in Everett, Washington, and wondered how the weather was up there. Is it nice? Are the people nice, and are they gearing up for the holidays already? I'd love to be doing more of the things I enjoy rather than operating with the feeling that everything I do is absolutely necessary. This blog just might be the only thing that isn't.

Privacy Expectations

This is an article I wrote for my Political Science class. It was titled 9/11: Five Years Later (wouldn't have been my choice).

My expectation of privacy from the government since 9/11 has not changed much since before that date. On the morning of September 11, 2001, I took a physical fitness test. It was to be the last one I would take in the U.S. Army. After four years of service, I was looking forward to getting out and going to college. At about the time the first plane hit the North Tower (8:46 a.m. EST), I was probably performing the sit-up portion of my test, after which was the 2-mile run. When we all got back to the office, the television was on and it didn't turn off for at least the next four months. We watched the towers fall, Enron collapse, and the bombings begin. I spent days upon days in the office up until I got out, and I had no privacy in the Army; I don't expect any now. Personally, I don't have anything to hide and if the government needs to compromise the secrecy of my conversation to prevent further attacks, so be it.

Same goes for my Internet traffic. Sure, I download a few songs here and there illegally, and they might know that. But my peer-to-peer file sharing does not compromise national security. It could, in ways, but my use is very limited and I keep a good watch over my PC due to my occupation. It actually could be a bit legal for the government to collect information about my phone calls and Internet traffic, according to the Supreme Court decision in Bartnicki v. Vopper. The Supreme Court actually upheld the First Amendment protection, but a reporter mentioned that the conversations recorded were of public concern:

Because of this suit’s procedural posture, the Court accepts that the interception was unlawful and that respondents had reason to know that. Accordingly, the disclosures violated the statutes. In answering the remaining question whether the statutes’ application in such circumstances violates the First Amendment, the Court accepts respondents’ submissions that they played no part in the illegal interception, that their access to the information was obtained lawfully, and that the conversations dealt with a matter of public concern. Pp. 9—10. (Cornell Law School)

Matters of public concern could eventually take higher precedence than the First Amendment. As long as the listeners-in don't join the conversation, I couldn't care less. A machine probably wouldn't pick up on anything I have to say on the telephone anyway, especially since I am such a poor businessman that there's nothing critical I discuss to begin with.

Wow – I don' t have much more to say. This isn't an argument for me; I don' t care whether “Big Brother” listens to my conversations. I believe that my privacy should be protected from other people (neighbors, business competitors) and will stand up for that. But when the American government wants to tap the phone, inspect every packet that leaves my cable modem, and take a look in the house once per month to make sure we're not staging Jihad, it's okay with me.

However, if they use this voluntary breach of my privacy for other reasons, I do have a problem. Playing the 9/11 card in Iraq may have worked, but I have my limits. If agents visit my house looking for terrorists and ask where I got the money for the $7,000 in computer equipment when I only have $24,000 in annual taxable income (“Come with me, sir.”), there will be issues.

In all, I expect my privacy to be respected as I will respect the values and safety of the United States and its citizens/occupants. There will inevitably come another time in which America will think back to this level of privacy and will want to have not been so secretive to protect their personal image. Anyone's neighbor could be plotting to kill a vast number of people. One of the 9/11 hijackers lived in Georgia for a little bit.

I encourage Americans to give up a little bit of privacy. Swallow your pride, because your neighbor has the same rights – and it's very possible he one day could be on a plane yelling in another language as everyone speeds toward Earth...

References
The quote about Bartnicki v. Vopper came from Cornell Law School. It was in the syllabus of the case decision, available here. Some points were also taken from the Wikipedia article on Privacy, found there.

Did you know?

Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo.

Wierdest thing on Wikipedia yet.

Consider Me Warned

"We should be taught not to wait for inspiration to start a thing. Action always generates inspiration. Inspiration seldom generates action."

- Frank Tibolt

Stop This Train

This certainly has been an interesting day, though I might not get it all in because my mind is not free like some. I wish I could just let go and blog, but something's missing.

Anyway, while the coffee maker was doing its thing and I was in the shower this morning, my wonderful machine was retrieving the latest John Mayer album, Continuum. It started in the car this morning on my 1.5-hour-long-trip with the single ("Wating on the World to Change"), and I was delighted with the rest of it (I cried toward the end of "Stop this Train.")

When I finished my work up north, I started back to the office. I stopped in Tifton at the mall to pick up the actual CD and a copy of the latest Rolling Stone. I read somewhere there was an interview with John in it. The following is my story:

[Ben walks into Sam Goody and is greeted by the idiot]

Idiot: "Can I help you, sweetie?"
Ben: "Do you have a copy of Rolling Stone?"
Idiot: "Is it something new, or has it been around a while?"
Ben: "It's a magazine."

She led me to the back of the store to where the rack was, and couldn't find it. I picked it up from under her nose. "I got it. Thanks. I also need a copy of Continuum."

For a magazine that's been in publication for 39 years, it somehow has escaped the people down here. This is the place where I live. Please stop this train.

I should be posting a review of Continuum later in the week. I have heard it about five times, but I haven't looked at the cover insert yet.

Then Again...

I was reading John's blog this evening and the thought came to me that he has the best and worst of the world right now. His album, Continuum, will be released in two days. That's not all too bad until one thinks about his personal position. He's traveling around right now (Chicago at present) and he's probably busy as a person could be. Not much time to think. This is the first studio album with just his name on it in three years (Heavier Things was released September 9, 2003). He's got to be anxious, but doesn't have time to be.

There have been times that I wish I was John Mayer, but I think I've changed my mind. I definitely don't want to be where I am right now, but I'm sure I could find a quieter place than his brain at the moment.

El Extremo Para J.J.

Stories came out yesterday about John dumping Jessica, and I just couldn't disagree more. They say "it only lasted a week" and that Jessica's father was all proud of the couple.

Reason this is bullshit #1: John's on tour and Jessica is busy with whatever it is she does. If they did get together it would never be serious.

Reason this is bullshit #2: They both denied an actual relationship. Everything that was said came out of someone else's piehole.

If he likes her and she likes him, who cares? As long as it doesn't interrupt John's career or his music production, I'm fine with whatever he chooses to do.

Yet I still sit here after writing this wondering why I care so much about hyped-up crap pertaining to people I don't even know.

As if Anyone Cares what I Think

Immigration Reform is a hot topic these days. That's probably why my political science class is discussing it tomorrow.

The Problem: It is perceived by some that there are too many people immigrating to the United States every year. According to the Federation for American Immigration Reform, that number is about 1.1 million, and they project that the U.S. population will be around 420 million by 2050, largely due to the incoming people and the children they have when they get here. There are a lot of different impacts this influx has on our society - economic, educational, environmental, etc. Even city planners are having trouble with housing people and law enforcement is losing ground.

Building an increased number of houses on farmland and protected wetlands to accomodate more people is posing an environmental problem. Reducing the amount of farmland presents an obvious issue - more people and less food. FAIR seems to think that the high level of immigration is causing more crime, since a lot of immigrants are low-skilled and live in poverty (makes one wonder why they left home), and poverty doesn't exactly produce a high ratio of productive citizens. Schools are becoming crowded (hell, my high school was crowded in the 1990's, but that was due to a lack of concern, not immigration) and reducing the effectiveness of the primary and secondary education the U.S. provides. Economic impacts are readily seen - the people receiving financial assistance from the states, the low-skill jobs are all (well, not all) being taken by immigrants who will work for much less (the people who built my house are certainly low-skilled.)

The Solution: I have not a solution. I'm not a policical scientist or an immigration expert. I'm a technologist who doesn't watch TV (not going to pay a cable company to watch commercials, sorry) or read the newspaper (same concept). All I am interested in every day are new gadgets and software programs that help people do things.

However, G.W. Bush and his people evidently have a plan. This in no way implies that I like George W. Bush. That said, the White House’s Comprehensive Immigration Reform aims to solve many of these problems. 6000 National Guard troops have been sent to the Southern border States to provide assistance to the Border Patrol. This seems to have helped a great deal with the resistance of illegal immigration and drug trafficking across the Mexican border. They have also expanded holding facilities to accommodate more captives and expedited the deportation process. I guess I’m in favor of these measures, on a grand scale anyway.

Bush has also asked Congress to come up with a resolution to the current issues inside the U.S., like illegal workers, expired visas, etc. He even wants to start English language programs (I assume for legal immigrants).

I would probably recommend, as the global leader, that the potential illegal immigrants get help where they are; get them something to help make their lives better so they don’t feel the need to cross over and join the crowding. I think if the influx of people to the United States without an increase in productivity does not cease, we will soon find that this country is not as glamorous as it once seemed to the outside. Tourism would decline. Companies would start to move their main business lines outside the country and the economy would fail. The United States could eventually become what I have just invented a phrase for: “Social Sahara,” a country in which everyone is so poor and dried up that no one wants to visit. Then Britain would rule again. Did my imagination just cut loose or what?

I’m not one to praise the U.S. for its selfish attitude (what’s-mine-is-mine kind of thing; close the blinds to the rest of the world), but there has to be a limit on immigration before this country becomes the one those people left. Australia has an interesting acceptance program and it seems to work. I read a bit about it during the time the Olympic games were at Sydney (whenever that was) and wanted to try to get in. I think I have a better chance at getting in to Google just because of the process involved. Not recommended for a country the size of the United States, but effective nonetheless.

Cool Tool

During the conversion of posts from my bBlog blog to this one, I had to convert a UNIX timestamp to an actual, readable date. I Googled a bit and found this one, and it was quite useful I'm posting it here for my readers, but mainly so I can find it again later. It converts both ways.

I Need Plumber's Putty for This?

The kitchen sink has been leaking since we moved in (remember that this is a brand-new house) and I finally got sick of it this weekend.

I went to find out what was wrong and discovered that the plumber the contractor hired must have been Britney Spears. Every stainless steel fitting was cross-threaded. I had to put new drains in both sides, but couldn't figure out how to get the old ones off. So after buying new pliers and traveling 60 miles one-way to get a couple of tools and some plumber's putty, I got the damn thing apart at about 1:15 this morning.

20 minutes it took me to get it back together (no leaks), another 10 minutes to clean up, and here we are at the computer just after 2:00 nursing a beer and basking in my own glory. If only someone were awake to share this with me.

Now if you don't mind, I'm late for Labor Day.

So Commonly Mentioned

Until I hear differently, the couple made up of John Clayton Mayer and Jessica Ann Simpson are herein referred to as "J.J." I will probably mention their union many times in the near future and this will save me some time. I can't believe I'm following this.

And John, I don't believe the hype.

Don't Be Alarmed

I really just wanted to type a bit on this wireless keyboard, and throw in a link to johnmayer.com which has recently seen a makeover. John keeps a blog there now and (aside from the obnoxious commercialism) writes some pretty interesting stuff. There's a new store, too, and stuff about Continuum.

I don't get the hype between Jessica Simpson and John Mayer. Could someone explain that to me? Does he like her, or is this just a big publicity stunt? And why does it bother me like it does that K-Fed is now a rapper? Entertainment was never my thing, but when it comes to my only star, I get edgy. Jessica better not stitch him up, whatever the case. Keep the music flowing.

Oh, and someone get me tickets to Atlanta in October, okay? Thanks.

If the new counter at the bottom isn't displayed, view this blog with Mozilla Firefox. Don't ask me why.

Has anyone seen my USB drive?

Okay, So It Didn't Last

I was going off on my own, away from blogger, and thought I'd found a sweet peice of software that allowed me to blog away in my own independence as if I were my own geek. I thought I'd have the time to work out the bugs (there were none, just one configuration I couldn't manage to change). I just hate spammers. Plus I didn't get enough traffic there. In the weeks I had it going, there were only ~197 hits, mostly me from different locations.

Anyway, on behalf of benrehberg.com, I welcome myself back.