Criminal cases seize too many spaces in the media. The audience has a morbid interest, but is it good? The easiest way for a nobody to be somebody is to kill somebody. This is well-known among nutcases, from what I've read. There's something wrong with that. The media should make an attempt not to dwell upon trivia and negativity. They do exert an influence upon the reader's opinions and beliefs. On my blog, I try to avoid discussing criminal cases and sex scandals. Such topics receive more than adequate exposure on other blogs.
Many conservatives I have spoken with express a cynical view of human nature. They assume that everyone is motivated only by selfish interests. They are reluctant to accept benevolent motives in others, because it conflicts with their theory of human nature. They have a pronounced fear of crime. They purchase handguns for their personal protection. They believe that people will do evil whenever they can get away with it. The creators of South Park express such a view. I believe that the media encourages their point of view by dwelling upon crime and other negative and unpleasant matters.
The millions who live in a decent manner, work hard and do what's right are not reported, but live their lives in anonymity. Why are they worth any less verbiage? They should be reported too, upheld as examples for others to follow. In fact, the coverage ratio of decent people versus psychos should be 10,000:1, or equal to their actual representation in the general population. Today, the ratio almost seems to favor psychos.
I think human nature is open to amelioration and that is why I am a liberal. With education, progress, and successive generations, it was possible for Europe to evolve from the Dark Ages to what it is today, which is grand and splendid, the envy of everyone throughout the world. But I spend more time reading about history and science than I do reading the media.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Friday, July 8, 2011
Vote Democratic
Republican policies under G.W. Bush smashed the economy so soundly that it couldn't be fixed in a mere two years. Obama's notable accomplishment was that the country did not slide into another Great Depression.
Republican philosophy is built around tax breaks for the rich and never-ending, financially ruinous foreign wars. The Democratic party would be even better if it were more liberal, but of the two parties, it is the better one. A Democratic Congress will pave the way toward a more robust recovery. If the Republicans lose seats in Congress in 2012, then America will gain intellectual power.
The body is strong, but the head must be as well.
Republican philosophy is built around tax breaks for the rich and never-ending, financially ruinous foreign wars. The Democratic party would be even better if it were more liberal, but of the two parties, it is the better one. A Democratic Congress will pave the way toward a more robust recovery. If the Republicans lose seats in Congress in 2012, then America will gain intellectual power.
The body is strong, but the head must be as well.
Trusting Foreign Technology
I'm pleased to see that Congress is waking up to the fact that moving jobs and manufacturing overseas comes with another cost--computer viruses.
This is not rocket science.
U.S. citizens are more trustworthy than strangers from Russia or China.
That single sentence is so obvious, yet so often dismissed, that it should be tattooed to the forehead of every CEO in the U.S.
To frame the issue in familiar terms for a CEO, U.S. citizens are shareholders in this country. Their destiny is intertwined with the destiny of the U.S. in a thousand different ways. Their loyalty is assured.
This is not rocket science.
U.S. citizens are more trustworthy than strangers from Russia or China.
That single sentence is so obvious, yet so often dismissed, that it should be tattooed to the forehead of every CEO in the U.S.
To frame the issue in familiar terms for a CEO, U.S. citizens are shareholders in this country. Their destiny is intertwined with the destiny of the U.S. in a thousand different ways. Their loyalty is assured.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Fox News has a Nasty English Cousin
Looks like one of Murdoch's properties has been sullied by unethical behavior, this more shocking than anything in recent memory.
Am I surprised? Not in the slightest. The incident confirms my opinion of News Corpse.
Am I surprised? Not in the slightest. The incident confirms my opinion of News Corpse.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
"Broken Controllers" Classifies Me as a Sports Writer
I noticed that one of these content aggregation sites subscribed to an RSS feed of my blog. I can't think of any reason I should mind.
This blog is averaging about 35 visits per day, nothing to write home about, although a bit better than last year's average of 20 per day. I interpret my blog as a journal that I share with strangers Just Because. I don't even know all the reasons why. At least on a blog, there is a chance someone other than myself might read one of my entries, if only by accident. There is also a chance they might benefit by doing so, although I'm not placing any bets on it.
However, this aggregation site classified me in a forum called "Sports Club," which I find amusing. When have I ever blogged about sports? I think Philosophy, Politics, or even Computers/Internet would be more appropriate. I doubt they have a Dungeon Crawl forum.
Well, at least one question is settled, that of whether Broken Controllers' webmaster ever bothered reading anything on my blog before subscribing to an RSS feed.
This blog is averaging about 35 visits per day, nothing to write home about, although a bit better than last year's average of 20 per day. I interpret my blog as a journal that I share with strangers Just Because. I don't even know all the reasons why. At least on a blog, there is a chance someone other than myself might read one of my entries, if only by accident. There is also a chance they might benefit by doing so, although I'm not placing any bets on it.
However, this aggregation site classified me in a forum called "Sports Club," which I find amusing. When have I ever blogged about sports? I think Philosophy, Politics, or even Computers/Internet would be more appropriate. I doubt they have a Dungeon Crawl forum.
Well, at least one question is settled, that of whether Broken Controllers' webmaster ever bothered reading anything on my blog before subscribing to an RSS feed.
How to Miss Some of the Web
Many users have Google set as their home page. To visit a site, they enter its url in the Google search engine. If Google does not find the site, then as far as a novice user is concerned, the site cannot be found.
Not all sites have been exposed to Google. In order for Google to know about a web site, someone has to take the trouble of introducing the site to Google through a public link that is crawled by the Google robot.
The most effective way to visit a site is to enter its url in the browser's url input field, located at the top of the screen in mainstream browsers. However, one cannot expect a novice user to be aware of that.
There is no perfect solution for a novice user. In some cases, users seem better off entering urls in the Google, due to the risk that a typo could connect the user to a malicious site without any warning. Google at least flags some malicious sites, offering an early warning, prior to making that second, fatal click. However, when Google does not find a site, it may suggest a different site in its search results, possibly a malicious site.
Not all sites have been exposed to Google. In order for Google to know about a web site, someone has to take the trouble of introducing the site to Google through a public link that is crawled by the Google robot.
The most effective way to visit a site is to enter its url in the browser's url input field, located at the top of the screen in mainstream browsers. However, one cannot expect a novice user to be aware of that.
There is no perfect solution for a novice user. In some cases, users seem better off entering urls in the Google, due to the risk that a typo could connect the user to a malicious site without any warning. Google at least flags some malicious sites, offering an early warning, prior to making that second, fatal click. However, when Google does not find a site, it may suggest a different site in its search results, possibly a malicious site.
Proofreading Obsolete?
Corporations today seem to assume that editors and proofreaders are obsolete. After all, Microsoft Word has built-in spell checking, as do many other apps. Who needs an employee with writing ability?
I found this whopper on ABC News without even trying. It confused me at first until I realized that the journalist goofed.
In the picture caption, it is claimed, "The longer the ring finger compared to the index finger, the longer the penis, Korean researchers say."
The first line of the article reads, "The longer a man's index finger when compared with his ring finger, the longer the length of his penis, according to Korean researchers."
Either the Korean researchers need to make up their minds, or ABC News needs to hire a proofreader.
I'm sure the glaring mistake will be corrected by somebody at ABC News, but not before thousands of people have already read it.
Downsize at your peril, corporate America. Not every job can be farmed overseas or replaced by technology.
There is an urgency to being the first on top of a story. I know all too well that is not possible to achieve perfection in a short amount of time on a consistent basis. Only with reflection, which requires time, is it possible to detect and correct mistakes and oversights, and even then there is always something that seems amiss. Humans are by nature pragmatic and imperfect creatures who create things that work, but are not necessarily elegant or without flaws in their first version. That is why new versions must be generated all the time.
I am sure the journalist in question would have preferred a seven-day grace period in which he could examine his articles prior to their publication. But is it possible in a high-turnover, high-pressure media company? If the answer is no, then such a company had better hire a team of proofreaders and editors for the sake of quality control.
I found this whopper on ABC News without even trying. It confused me at first until I realized that the journalist goofed.
In the picture caption, it is claimed, "The longer the ring finger compared to the index finger, the longer the penis, Korean researchers say."
The first line of the article reads, "The longer a man's index finger when compared with his ring finger, the longer the length of his penis, according to Korean researchers."
Either the Korean researchers need to make up their minds, or ABC News needs to hire a proofreader.
I'm sure the glaring mistake will be corrected by somebody at ABC News, but not before thousands of people have already read it.
Downsize at your peril, corporate America. Not every job can be farmed overseas or replaced by technology.
There is an urgency to being the first on top of a story. I know all too well that is not possible to achieve perfection in a short amount of time on a consistent basis. Only with reflection, which requires time, is it possible to detect and correct mistakes and oversights, and even then there is always something that seems amiss. Humans are by nature pragmatic and imperfect creatures who create things that work, but are not necessarily elegant or without flaws in their first version. That is why new versions must be generated all the time.
I am sure the journalist in question would have preferred a seven-day grace period in which he could examine his articles prior to their publication. But is it possible in a high-turnover, high-pressure media company? If the answer is no, then such a company had better hire a team of proofreaders and editors for the sake of quality control.
Microsoft Allies with Baidu
Microsoft has allied with Baidu* to censor information from the Chinese people and help the authorities hunt down pro-democracy activists. Baidu is a Chinese search engine that, unlike its competitor Google, works hand-in-glove with the Chinese tyranny. On the web site I admin, I ban all activity from the Baidu search robot without exception. I view it in a similar light as pre-1946 Krupp.
While Microsoft invests heavily in China and other countries, having moved many of their middle-class jobs outside of the U.S., American consumers remain eager to purchase Microsoft products.
I am reminded of an Aesop's fable. I don't know whether children today read Aesop. I read my book cover to cover several times over when I was a boy. I thought it was strange and mysterious that these fables had survived for thousands of years, and I liked to imagine people of long ago retelling these stories. Many stories did not make sense to me until I read them several times. In some cases, I asked my parents for further explanation and elaboration. This story, however, speaks for itself.
While Microsoft invests heavily in China and other countries, having moved many of their middle-class jobs outside of the U.S., American consumers remain eager to purchase Microsoft products.
I am reminded of an Aesop's fable. I don't know whether children today read Aesop. I read my book cover to cover several times over when I was a boy. I thought it was strange and mysterious that these fables had survived for thousands of years, and I liked to imagine people of long ago retelling these stories. Many stories did not make sense to me until I read them several times. In some cases, I asked my parents for further explanation and elaboration. This story, however, speaks for itself.
A man asks an eagle for a feather for his cap. "Why sure," said the eagle, "I have many to spare and am flattered that you want one of my feathers." "Oh yes," said the man, "your feathers are the most useful of all." The man tipped his cap to the eagle and went on his way.
Several days later, the eagle was flying home to feed its young ones when an arrow pierced its wing. As it plummeted to the ground, it recognized its own feather in the arrow and saw below the same man he had helped before.
Monday, July 4, 2011
A Dream Given, Then Taken Away
No, I'm not being metaphorical, this time. Honestly, the dream metaphor is overused.
I had a real dream last night fueled by two cups of passionflower (dried, cut leaves of the beautiful flowering Passiflora incarnata) tea, but the dosage I fear was too strong. Although I remembered the dream as I emerged from sleep, I drifted in and out of sleep for an hour, and when I woke up, it was erased. Such is the danger of imbibing too much passionflower. I still feel groggy as I write this.
The trouble with concocting herbal teas without the use of prepared teabags is dosage. One never knows the precise potency of a stock. It is clear to me now that my particular stock is very potent indeed. The effect was startling as I lay in bed last night. I felt tendrils of the herb wrapping around my body and drawing me into the realm of sleep. I had half a mind to jump up, drink coffee and fight it off, just to demonstrate that I could, but decided that would be the act of an amateur, and besides, frittering the night away at the computer would annoy me even more than being shoved into sleep by an aggressive herbal entity.
If I dose again--which I don't plan to do for several days--half a cup should be sufficient for restorative sleep and a remembered dream.
Time for a cup of tea. The black stuff.
I had a real dream last night fueled by two cups of passionflower (dried, cut leaves of the beautiful flowering Passiflora incarnata) tea, but the dosage I fear was too strong. Although I remembered the dream as I emerged from sleep, I drifted in and out of sleep for an hour, and when I woke up, it was erased. Such is the danger of imbibing too much passionflower. I still feel groggy as I write this.
The trouble with concocting herbal teas without the use of prepared teabags is dosage. One never knows the precise potency of a stock. It is clear to me now that my particular stock is very potent indeed. The effect was startling as I lay in bed last night. I felt tendrils of the herb wrapping around my body and drawing me into the realm of sleep. I had half a mind to jump up, drink coffee and fight it off, just to demonstrate that I could, but decided that would be the act of an amateur, and besides, frittering the night away at the computer would annoy me even more than being shoved into sleep by an aggressive herbal entity.
If I dose again--which I don't plan to do for several days--half a cup should be sufficient for restorative sleep and a remembered dream.
Time for a cup of tea. The black stuff.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Providence
I would like to know the providence of Plato's writings. It seems to me that much of what Socrates espouses is proto-Christian. I know that Christians were in the habit of destroying pagan art and literature and sometimes appropriating it for their own ideological ends. It may be that Plato's works were revised or censored by later Christian scholars.
I don't understand why my translation of Plato makes frequent references to God, when the Ancient Greeks were polytheistic. Elevation of philosophers who reject the material world seems much in line with the early Christian hermits. Socrates looking forward to death and expecting rich rewards in the afterlife--Christian. Rejection of sexual, sensual and dietary pleasures--Christian. I'm no Ancient literature scholar, so I don't know, but I do wonder. I wonder whether scholars have an answer.
I enjoyed the part where Socrates talked directly to Phaedo. But his dialogue with Cebes put me off the book for good. I'm not willing to question whether or not eight plus two equals ten. It seems to me the ratio of verbiage to ideas is high, and many of his ideas seem mistaken, a matter of semantic tricks only.
Whenever Socrates describes the soul, or psyche, it sounds an awful lot like the brain, which underlines the Ancient Greeks' ignorance about the brain. I think that if Socrates had been aware of the functions of the brain and become familiar with our modern knowledge of medical science, he would have abandoned his ideas about the soul.
I don't understand why my translation of Plato makes frequent references to God, when the Ancient Greeks were polytheistic. Elevation of philosophers who reject the material world seems much in line with the early Christian hermits. Socrates looking forward to death and expecting rich rewards in the afterlife--Christian. Rejection of sexual, sensual and dietary pleasures--Christian. I'm no Ancient literature scholar, so I don't know, but I do wonder. I wonder whether scholars have an answer.
I enjoyed the part where Socrates talked directly to Phaedo. But his dialogue with Cebes put me off the book for good. I'm not willing to question whether or not eight plus two equals ten. It seems to me the ratio of verbiage to ideas is high, and many of his ideas seem mistaken, a matter of semantic tricks only.
Whenever Socrates describes the soul, or psyche, it sounds an awful lot like the brain, which underlines the Ancient Greeks' ignorance about the brain. I think that if Socrates had been aware of the functions of the brain and become familiar with our modern knowledge of medical science, he would have abandoned his ideas about the soul.
Friday, July 1, 2011
The House
I dreamed I was renting a room in a large old Southern house. I don't know why. Was I selling antiques or living there or both? Was I alone? I don't know. There were many other renters with various agendas. I don't remember their traits, only that there were many. They would talk among each other and with me, and it sounded like a murmur, and I cannot remember what was said.
The door to my room became locked or jammed one day, and the landlords wouldn't or couldn't do anything about it. Other renters faced the same predicament. The doors to their rooms were also barred.
After many inquiries, I talked to someone that revealed a secret entrance to my room through an adjacent room. I had to remove the shelves, which were full of white towels, and open the cupboard door, because it was actually a secret door to my room. Several people were with me because they wanted to gain access to their rooms as well. I don't remember who they were or what they wanted.
I don't remember much more. Upon waking, the dream did not make immediate sense to me, but the house and the landlords remind me of The Skeleton Key, which may be the best horror film ever made. That movie has a way of creeping into the unconscious. I don't recommend anyone watch it unless they want elements cast into their dreams.
My interpretation is that the dream depicted an underworld where my soul was kept until I found a way to get into this world. The way was barred, as it was for many souls, until someone or something revealed to me a secret entrance or until I found it myself after much searching. Many souls wanted to get in, but I was there first, and so I was born. The others must find their own ways.
I think the dream was inspired by reading several more pages of The Last Days of Socrates by Plato*, in which the old man is going on about immortal souls and the underworld. I read all that with disbelief. It seems to me he was flattering his ego by claiming that people like him, philosophers, would get rewarded the most in the afterlife, a typical thing for a man to believe. Humans wish to assert control over things. Death is the ultimate usurping of control, and so men weave fantasies to assert control even over death. And Socrates wished to put on a brave face before his friends as he faced death.
Then again, what if he were right, and there were souls, and what I think of as me derived from another substance, immaterial and more or less permanent? Then in that case, the dream about the house and the secret doorway was a recollection of an actual event rather than a busy exercise of a human brain in the REM stage of sleep.
The door to my room became locked or jammed one day, and the landlords wouldn't or couldn't do anything about it. Other renters faced the same predicament. The doors to their rooms were also barred.
After many inquiries, I talked to someone that revealed a secret entrance to my room through an adjacent room. I had to remove the shelves, which were full of white towels, and open the cupboard door, because it was actually a secret door to my room. Several people were with me because they wanted to gain access to their rooms as well. I don't remember who they were or what they wanted.
I don't remember much more. Upon waking, the dream did not make immediate sense to me, but the house and the landlords remind me of The Skeleton Key, which may be the best horror film ever made. That movie has a way of creeping into the unconscious. I don't recommend anyone watch it unless they want elements cast into their dreams.
My interpretation is that the dream depicted an underworld where my soul was kept until I found a way to get into this world. The way was barred, as it was for many souls, until someone or something revealed to me a secret entrance or until I found it myself after much searching. Many souls wanted to get in, but I was there first, and so I was born. The others must find their own ways.
I think the dream was inspired by reading several more pages of The Last Days of Socrates by Plato*, in which the old man is going on about immortal souls and the underworld. I read all that with disbelief. It seems to me he was flattering his ego by claiming that people like him, philosophers, would get rewarded the most in the afterlife, a typical thing for a man to believe. Humans wish to assert control over things. Death is the ultimate usurping of control, and so men weave fantasies to assert control even over death. And Socrates wished to put on a brave face before his friends as he faced death.
Then again, what if he were right, and there were souls, and what I think of as me derived from another substance, immaterial and more or less permanent? Then in that case, the dream about the house and the secret doorway was a recollection of an actual event rather than a busy exercise of a human brain in the REM stage of sleep.
* - my progress in The Last Days is slow because I seldom agree with Socrates about anything and don't think he is wise at all at least by modern standards. I can only manage a couple pages per day without putting the book down in boredom or annoyance. He was a tragic figure, not meaning harm to anyone, a seeker after truth, and I feel that he was unjustly condemned. I think instead that he should have been engaged in debate and made to defend his ideas, but maybe that is an unrealistic expectation for that time period. He had probably offended one too many of the rich and powerful.
Every time Socrates makes a pronouncement and his chorus of yes-men chime in with their immediate and unquestioning approval, I want to say, now wait just a minute, this makes no sense at all, because of X, Y, and Z. I think the book reads better when Socrates speaks in a monologue, without all the yeses, as during his Apology.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Conservative Men Insult a Woman
I have a friend that posted her profile on a matchmaker site. She wrote much of the usual sort of thing, and at the end, inserted a single line, "I am a Democrat and prefer that my match be also." She is a moderate Democrat, like the rest of her family, and that was a reasonable request for any man that would court her.
She has received hate mail from conservatives ever since. At least four right-wing creeps wrote emails denigrating her. They expressed their hatred of Democrats and President Obama. They called her stupid and other things as well. Their insults reflected their hostility toward women. No mystery as to why they were still single.
I told her she should not write these men back. They are not worth the effort of communication. They have already proven themselves incapable of learning, because they do not understand the purpose of a matchmaker site. It is to find love, not hate. A person's preferences are just that, preferences. Man or woman, each person has a right to their own preferences when they are seeking a partner. But some conservative men don't think so. They want to order people to believe what they believe. They think that's being strong, which is the primary problem with right-wingers in any nation.
She has received hate mail from conservatives ever since. At least four right-wing creeps wrote emails denigrating her. They expressed their hatred of Democrats and President Obama. They called her stupid and other things as well. Their insults reflected their hostility toward women. No mystery as to why they were still single.
I told her she should not write these men back. They are not worth the effort of communication. They have already proven themselves incapable of learning, because they do not understand the purpose of a matchmaker site. It is to find love, not hate. A person's preferences are just that, preferences. Man or woman, each person has a right to their own preferences when they are seeking a partner. But some conservative men don't think so. They want to order people to believe what they believe. They think that's being strong, which is the primary problem with right-wingers in any nation.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Rock 'n Roll Ain't Noise Pollution
Listening to AC/DC's "Rock n Roll Ain't Noise Pollution" tonight brings back a memory of me sitting on brick steps in our backyard, playing it at top volume on a cruddy little black tape player that used to store programs for my computer. I had flunked tenth grade. What a riot! I was past caring. Didn't give a damn anymore. I had friends that felt the same way. It was summer and hot enough to cook an egg on the street. We were nothing but trouble, cruising for a bruising, skating on thin ice, and headed for the precipice. AC/DC spoke to me like no other band. I played their 1980 compilation Back in Black over and over. The music let me tap into something that I needed, a power. The fortune teller had mentioned AC/DC to me many years before. Somehow I remembered the suggestion, and when a tape fell into my greedy little hands like magic, I was receptive.
Lamar Smith: Incompetent Congressman
"On Friday, when NORML requested its members to contact Rep. Smith’s office, the Congressman promptly shut off his DC office phone and later closed down his Facebook page."
Gee, I wish I had a job where I could just shut off my phone like that. What a lazy buffoon this Lamar Smith is.
I don't blame him for closing down his Facebook page, though. That's a good idea on general principles.
Gee, I wish I had a job where I could just shut off my phone like that. What a lazy buffoon this Lamar Smith is.
I don't blame him for closing down his Facebook page, though. That's a good idea on general principles.
Facebook Doesn't Work on Firefox 5?!
I noticed that Facebook does not work properly on Firefox 5, although the pages appear OK in Internet Explorer 8. I have no idea why, though I doubt this problem affects many other people other than myself.
My solution was to deactivate my Facebook account and not be pestered by Facebook's incessant email notifications anymore. I think Facebook is primitive compared to another tool called the telephone. If I want to get in touch with someone, or they with me, there's nothing better than hearing a human voice and speaking in real time.
My solution was to deactivate my Facebook account and not be pestered by Facebook's incessant email notifications anymore. I think Facebook is primitive compared to another tool called the telephone. If I want to get in touch with someone, or they with me, there's nothing better than hearing a human voice and speaking in real time.
Monday, June 27, 2011
NameCheap or NameCheat?
I have regretted few things of late more than signing up for a year's worth of hosting with NameCheap. Over one hundred hours were lost chasing problems on my web site, problems that were caused by NameCheap. On three different occasions, I contacted their Help / Chat team to no avail. Each time, the individual I chatted with would respond to my query with a one-liner, "The server is operational," and simply ignore all further questions. In one case, I waited in chat for over an hour to see whether any other information would be forthcoming. Namecheap also ignored a support ticket that I initiated.
Due to the amount of work involved in starting over, I was reluctant to transfer my domain to another host, but I'm glad I did, though it cost me a sleepless all-nighter configuring things. The money I paid NameCheap, I have lost, I have no doubt. I think NameCheap should be renamed NameCheat, because they cheat their customers. If you want a web site that works only 80% of the time and on other occasions reports an error message to your users, then by all means, go with NameCheat.
Suggested new logo for the NameCheat web site.
The new host, BlueHost, works flawlessly, and the technical support is far superior to the amateur hour over at NameCheap. I spoke with real, live people on the phone who knew what they were talking about. Bluehost is a little bit more expensive, but I would rather pay more for a host that works as advertised rather than lose one hundred additional hours troubleshooting problems caused by NameCheap's incompetence and failure to communicate with customers.
Due to the amount of work involved in starting over, I was reluctant to transfer my domain to another host, but I'm glad I did, though it cost me a sleepless all-nighter configuring things. The money I paid NameCheap, I have lost, I have no doubt. I think NameCheap should be renamed NameCheat, because they cheat their customers. If you want a web site that works only 80% of the time and on other occasions reports an error message to your users, then by all means, go with NameCheat.
Namecheat
Aggravation in your life!
Domain Registration with FREE glitches / sluggishness / clueless tech support
Aggravation in your life!
Domain Registration with FREE glitches / sluggishness / clueless tech support
The new host, BlueHost, works flawlessly, and the technical support is far superior to the amateur hour over at NameCheap. I spoke with real, live people on the phone who knew what they were talking about. Bluehost is a little bit more expensive, but I would rather pay more for a host that works as advertised rather than lose one hundred additional hours troubleshooting problems caused by NameCheap's incompetence and failure to communicate with customers.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
A Test of Honesty
Let us say that a package arrives in the mail addressed to someone other than yourself. The package was intended for a stranger in another state, but due to a rare shipment error, it arrived at your doorstep. There was no tracking service selected, so the Post Office will never discover the error. Inside the package is a briefcase containing $250,000 in crisp new hundred dollar bills.
Would you alert the intended recipient, the Postal Service, and/or the IRS about your unexpected windfall, or would you keep it safe and secret?
Let me specify the following additional conditions. You are absolutely certain that you are not being set up by an investigator or any third party. There is no possibility that anyone will ever find out about your decision. However, you have to say out loud to the questioner--let us say it is an acquaintance that you hope to have good relations with in the future--your response to this hypothetical scenario.
There are at least four likely reactions:
Some people might have stipulations. For instance, they might not be willing to take money from a desperately poor person or an orphanage, but they might be willing to take money from a large and amoral corporation like BP or Wal-Mart, reasoning that deeper pockets would be less likely to miss $250,000.
For my part, I'd rather not say what my answer would be. I think I'd be tempted in such a scenario, and my answer would depend upon a great many additional conditions. I'd want to find out more about the intended recipient, for instance, and about the source of the windfall before making a decision.
This question occurred to me while reading The Last Days of Socrates, by Plato, a good read in parts, although the section on the immortality of the soul puts me to sleep. I like the style of Socrates, although I find his disciples too hesitant to offer a rebuttal. Socrates is one of the figures in history I would like to travel back in time to meet, especially if I could understand ancient Greek and communicate with him and him with me. He is another tragic and heroic Christ-like figure, although a cut above, I think. A good man, but a bit of a gadfly too.
Would you alert the intended recipient, the Postal Service, and/or the IRS about your unexpected windfall, or would you keep it safe and secret?
Let me specify the following additional conditions. You are absolutely certain that you are not being set up by an investigator or any third party. There is no possibility that anyone will ever find out about your decision. However, you have to say out loud to the questioner--let us say it is an acquaintance that you hope to have good relations with in the future--your response to this hypothetical scenario.
There are at least four likely reactions:
- Return the money.
- Say you'd return the money, but only for the sake of appearing honest, knowing that you would keep the money if no one were the wiser.
- Say you'd return the money while believing it to be so, although in the actual event, you would not.
- Say you'd not return the money and would not.
Some people might have stipulations. For instance, they might not be willing to take money from a desperately poor person or an orphanage, but they might be willing to take money from a large and amoral corporation like BP or Wal-Mart, reasoning that deeper pockets would be less likely to miss $250,000.
For my part, I'd rather not say what my answer would be. I think I'd be tempted in such a scenario, and my answer would depend upon a great many additional conditions. I'd want to find out more about the intended recipient, for instance, and about the source of the windfall before making a decision.
This question occurred to me while reading The Last Days of Socrates, by Plato, a good read in parts, although the section on the immortality of the soul puts me to sleep. I like the style of Socrates, although I find his disciples too hesitant to offer a rebuttal. Socrates is one of the figures in history I would like to travel back in time to meet, especially if I could understand ancient Greek and communicate with him and him with me. He is another tragic and heroic Christ-like figure, although a cut above, I think. A good man, but a bit of a gadfly too.
Opinions are Obstacles
Sometimes I jump the gun with my opinions. I leap to conclusions. Blog posts about Firefox and Drupal are recent examples. I deleted those posts after reconsidering. I prefer not to have opinions, because opinions get in the way of reasoning. I am reminded of the maxim: Nothing is good. Nothing is bad. Everything just is.
Notable exceptions would be actual cases where people are getting hurt. My general rule would that in any case that involves human suffering, the suffering of animals or the destruction of the environment, one must have an opinion in order to be ethical. But in the case of technology, ethics seldom apply. I like to remain more or less neutral where technology is concerned.
Firefox makes neutrality difficult for me, because it is superior to Internet Explorer as far as I can see, and besides, I hate the way Microsoft insinuates itself into everything on the computer. I wish MS confined themselves to making the operating system, period. That would be well enough. But no, they want to get into everything on the computer and even on other gadgets as well. That's not a good thing.
However, my blog post was inaccurate in claiming that Firefox did away with the "Add Tab" button. Actually, the developers relocated the "Add Tab" button. I simply didn't notice until after I had written the blog post. When I noticed, I deleted the post, even though it had taken me an hour to write. There was no way I saw to salvage the post. It was just plain wrong.
I didn't like my post on Drupal and deleted it because it was too harsh. The fact is, Drupal developers are volunteers, as far as I can tell, and that is a valid excuse for any problems one might encounter with Drupal. Didn't pay for it, so why complain? I'm sure the developers are well aware of the various problems and intend, one sunny day, to resolve everything.
True, I feel like I wasted a lot of time trying to iron out problems with my Drupal installation. True, I do not plan on recommending Drupal to anyone that I consider a friend. But that doesn't mean I want to rain on the Drupal parade. The system works well for some people, or so it would seem. It simply was not a good match for my requirements. I prefer to take that line.
Notable exceptions would be actual cases where people are getting hurt. My general rule would that in any case that involves human suffering, the suffering of animals or the destruction of the environment, one must have an opinion in order to be ethical. But in the case of technology, ethics seldom apply. I like to remain more or less neutral where technology is concerned.
Firefox makes neutrality difficult for me, because it is superior to Internet Explorer as far as I can see, and besides, I hate the way Microsoft insinuates itself into everything on the computer. I wish MS confined themselves to making the operating system, period. That would be well enough. But no, they want to get into everything on the computer and even on other gadgets as well. That's not a good thing.
However, my blog post was inaccurate in claiming that Firefox did away with the "Add Tab" button. Actually, the developers relocated the "Add Tab" button. I simply didn't notice until after I had written the blog post. When I noticed, I deleted the post, even though it had taken me an hour to write. There was no way I saw to salvage the post. It was just plain wrong.
I didn't like my post on Drupal and deleted it because it was too harsh. The fact is, Drupal developers are volunteers, as far as I can tell, and that is a valid excuse for any problems one might encounter with Drupal. Didn't pay for it, so why complain? I'm sure the developers are well aware of the various problems and intend, one sunny day, to resolve everything.
True, I feel like I wasted a lot of time trying to iron out problems with my Drupal installation. True, I do not plan on recommending Drupal to anyone that I consider a friend. But that doesn't mean I want to rain on the Drupal parade. The system works well for some people, or so it would seem. It simply was not a good match for my requirements. I prefer to take that line.
Foreboding about the Economy
As far as technology is concerned, employers seem choosy. They don't seem willing to train or permit the employee to self-train. They are not willing to consider long-distance applicants. They are not willing to accept less than unusual combinations of experience, and in some cases expect instant results beginning on the second day. Are these expectations realistic? They might be, considering how many immigrants have been injected into the job market.
Although many job openings seem to offer high salaries ($70k+), they often require a rare combination of skills that would fit only very few Americans. It makes me think such job openings were written with a specific person from India or China in mind. Applying for such an opening is just a waste of time. There are a great many time-wasting diversions awaiting anyone who looks into the job market.
It seems strange to me that people with advanced degrees, many years of experience and a high degree of skill can remain unemployed or underemployed in menial or otherwise low-level or part-time jobs.
I prefer to be optimistic, like anyone else, and try to look on the bright side of things, but I have a foreboding about the economy. I don't think I'm the only one. I hope that matters improve, but I don't see any reason to think that they will.
One thing I am glad about is that I saved my pennies during the boom years. More than anything else, that's probably the wisest move I made. I did quite well for myself, all things considered, and saved for a rainy day. Those who did equally well during the boom years, but succumbed to the siren song of high living, new cars, expensive houses and credit cards are now suffering the most. They are experiencing a dramatic and therefore painful reversal of fortune.
I have always lived far below my means, resulting in little change, regardless of income. Who needs to spend money, when there are books to be read and things to blog about? I've always been a skeptic about everything from religion to materialism. I'm highly resistant to advertising and marketing. If something is advertised, I become suspicious. Who needs to advertise something worth having? Word of mouth alone is sufficient to market a quality product. That's the way I evaluate things.
Although many job openings seem to offer high salaries ($70k+), they often require a rare combination of skills that would fit only very few Americans. It makes me think such job openings were written with a specific person from India or China in mind. Applying for such an opening is just a waste of time. There are a great many time-wasting diversions awaiting anyone who looks into the job market.
It seems strange to me that people with advanced degrees, many years of experience and a high degree of skill can remain unemployed or underemployed in menial or otherwise low-level or part-time jobs.
I prefer to be optimistic, like anyone else, and try to look on the bright side of things, but I have a foreboding about the economy. I don't think I'm the only one. I hope that matters improve, but I don't see any reason to think that they will.
One thing I am glad about is that I saved my pennies during the boom years. More than anything else, that's probably the wisest move I made. I did quite well for myself, all things considered, and saved for a rainy day. Those who did equally well during the boom years, but succumbed to the siren song of high living, new cars, expensive houses and credit cards are now suffering the most. They are experiencing a dramatic and therefore painful reversal of fortune.
I have always lived far below my means, resulting in little change, regardless of income. Who needs to spend money, when there are books to be read and things to blog about? I've always been a skeptic about everything from religion to materialism. I'm highly resistant to advertising and marketing. If something is advertised, I become suspicious. Who needs to advertise something worth having? Word of mouth alone is sufficient to market a quality product. That's the way I evaluate things.
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