Saturday, July 30, 2011
Iran, a Force for Evil
Iran is a real force for evil in the world. They are the real enemy of freedom. Forget about Afghanistan. Why the U.S. elected to invade a country with no real power or influence, Afghanistan, is a question that tempts me to doubt the intelligence of our leaders. We go in there with our bombs and our bullets, but there is nothing to destroy in that undeveloped cesspool, and the enemy is easily replaceable due to widespread ignorance, lack of birth control, and financial support from the U.S. and from the drug trade. I do not understand why our leaders learned nothing from Viet Nam.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Obama and the Environment
When the Obama Administration encounters science it doesn't like, it has a simple solution: punish the scientist. In that respect, it is similar to the Bush Administration. Both Presidents are the same on marijuana, too. Even though science is quite clear that alcohol is more harmful than marijuana, it is marijuana, not alcohol, that the Federal government goes to great lengths to eradicate. Our leaders are indifferent to science and uninterested in learning. That is why the country is in the situation it is in today. If the country were a restaurant, it would have been shut down already either for health code violations or lack of business. Imagine a restaurant that sends all its customers to other restaurants to eat and refuses to serve food at all. That is the U.S. today, shipping jobs and resources overseas and letting the people and the infrastructure rot.
The Ratio
The time that a serious job seeker spends applying for a single job compared to the amount of time an employer spends evaluating the applicant is 100:1. Employers are cherry-picking among applicants, wasting the time of 99% in order to get at the most desirable 1%. Few companies want to work with a resume anymore. Instead, a job seeker must become a volunteer data entry clerk, filling out an application that duplicates pretty much everything that is on the resume, so that the data becomes searchable.
One company requested that I fill out a lengthy questionnaire. I spent an entire day preparing that, and the result was so good that they decided to interview me over the phone. Preparation for an interview always costs me more time than the actual interview itself. I want to know as much as I can going into the interview. Whether that impresses anyone these days, I don't know. I think people automatically assume that one has a mobile device in his hand and is using it for crib notes.
A video interview followed, and I got the impression that I'm disqualified because I'm overqualified. Rather than nip that bud early in the process by using a technique known as "reading comprehension," they chose to read comic books in the office or whatever it is they do on a working day. The hiring manager had not read my application, had not read my resume, and had not even read the questionnaire, but waited until the second interview to evaluate the weight of my experience, which is heavy. The desired candidate, I gather, will be fifteen years younger, untested and unsure of how to handle the situation when the septic tank discharges into the air conditioning unit. That will be their problem, not mine. My problem is how to reduce the amount of time that companies demand that I waste. I'm not sure it is possible to avoid the questionnaires, I.Q. tests, and other time-wasting hurdles that one jumps through only to be smacked down at the end.
One company requested that I fill out a lengthy questionnaire. I spent an entire day preparing that, and the result was so good that they decided to interview me over the phone. Preparation for an interview always costs me more time than the actual interview itself. I want to know as much as I can going into the interview. Whether that impresses anyone these days, I don't know. I think people automatically assume that one has a mobile device in his hand and is using it for crib notes.
A video interview followed, and I got the impression that I'm disqualified because I'm overqualified. Rather than nip that bud early in the process by using a technique known as "reading comprehension," they chose to read comic books in the office or whatever it is they do on a working day. The hiring manager had not read my application, had not read my resume, and had not even read the questionnaire, but waited until the second interview to evaluate the weight of my experience, which is heavy. The desired candidate, I gather, will be fifteen years younger, untested and unsure of how to handle the situation when the septic tank discharges into the air conditioning unit. That will be their problem, not mine. My problem is how to reduce the amount of time that companies demand that I waste. I'm not sure it is possible to avoid the questionnaires, I.Q. tests, and other time-wasting hurdles that one jumps through only to be smacked down at the end.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
"The Beginners" *****
I saw "The Beginners" at a cinema tonight and was quite pleased by the excellent writing and superb acting. A truly flawless movie, it is the best of 2011.
I had not been out to a cinema in years. I must say the movie-going experience has gotten worse, not better. There were almost a dozen shrill, jarring commercials for products like insurance and luxury cars that made me sorry I was there. Why should I have to watch commercials after I paid for a ticket? I felt like the theater was punishing me for visiting. If I had waited for the movie to arrive via NetFlix, presto, no commercials. One of the stupid commercials played in reverse (including the soundtrack) after it had played. I do not know whether that was a technical malfunction or an intentional device. Another annoyance was that sound effects from another movie in an adjoining screen could be overheard--explosions, shots and cursing. The sound is turned up too loud.
Despite my favorable impression of the movie itself, I do not intend to go out to the cinemas again for a long time, because it is clear to me the cinema owner has zero respect for the audience. But what else is new? This has long been the case. Besides the high ticket price and the lousy and expensive food, now the audience must contend with loud, obnoxious commercials with no relation to movies. Small wonder, then, that there were plenty of empty seats. In a theater with a seating capacity of 200, fewer than twelve seats were occupied, even though the movie itself was outstanding.
The museum was little better. Among the masterpieces of artwork and sculpture, in the lobby below, a rapper was permitted to scream his tirade or whatever he calls it at a very loud volume, so that it was impossible to think about anything except for the stupid thoughts originating from his empty head concerning murder or mayhem or whatever nonsense it is that he thinks is so interesting that everyone must listen to it, whether they want to or not. It may come as a surprise, but people visit an art museum to look at the art, not listen to rap or any other type of music played at a high volume. One thing is decided. I do not plan on buying a membership to the museum in this lifetime.
I had not been out to a cinema in years. I must say the movie-going experience has gotten worse, not better. There were almost a dozen shrill, jarring commercials for products like insurance and luxury cars that made me sorry I was there. Why should I have to watch commercials after I paid for a ticket? I felt like the theater was punishing me for visiting. If I had waited for the movie to arrive via NetFlix, presto, no commercials. One of the stupid commercials played in reverse (including the soundtrack) after it had played. I do not know whether that was a technical malfunction or an intentional device. Another annoyance was that sound effects from another movie in an adjoining screen could be overheard--explosions, shots and cursing. The sound is turned up too loud.
Despite my favorable impression of the movie itself, I do not intend to go out to the cinemas again for a long time, because it is clear to me the cinema owner has zero respect for the audience. But what else is new? This has long been the case. Besides the high ticket price and the lousy and expensive food, now the audience must contend with loud, obnoxious commercials with no relation to movies. Small wonder, then, that there were plenty of empty seats. In a theater with a seating capacity of 200, fewer than twelve seats were occupied, even though the movie itself was outstanding.
The museum was little better. Among the masterpieces of artwork and sculpture, in the lobby below, a rapper was permitted to scream his tirade or whatever he calls it at a very loud volume, so that it was impossible to think about anything except for the stupid thoughts originating from his empty head concerning murder or mayhem or whatever nonsense it is that he thinks is so interesting that everyone must listen to it, whether they want to or not. It may come as a surprise, but people visit an art museum to look at the art, not listen to rap or any other type of music played at a high volume. One thing is decided. I do not plan on buying a membership to the museum in this lifetime.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Online Anonymity
I do agree with this perceptive article in PC World.
The crusaders against anonymity really need to think things through a bit more than they have. I think the CEO's are only concerned about maximizing profit. From their point of view, anonymity is not helpful. From the point of view of anyone else, anonymity can be an essential tool. It has its place. One cedes credibility by going anonymous, but gains a huge measure of protection from everyone except Johnny Law.
I can see both sides of the argument, though. A solid case has been made in The Guardian that anonymity tempts weak-minded people to misbehave, to indulge their Id, regressing to childish behavior patterns. On a web site that I admin, that was exactly what happened. The posters behaved as though they were in grade school, despite being senior citizens in many cases. They complained to the "teacher," bullied, insulted, threatened, and generally played the fool until we pulled the plug. Perhaps the hotheads will attempt to run their own forum somewhere. Good riddance. Karma will school them. I don't ever want to host another tribe of truculent trolls. When I think about how much time I spent customizing and improving the forum, I'm embarrassed by my generosity.
The crusaders against anonymity really need to think things through a bit more than they have. I think the CEO's are only concerned about maximizing profit. From their point of view, anonymity is not helpful. From the point of view of anyone else, anonymity can be an essential tool. It has its place. One cedes credibility by going anonymous, but gains a huge measure of protection from everyone except Johnny Law.
I can see both sides of the argument, though. A solid case has been made in The Guardian that anonymity tempts weak-minded people to misbehave, to indulge their Id, regressing to childish behavior patterns. On a web site that I admin, that was exactly what happened. The posters behaved as though they were in grade school, despite being senior citizens in many cases. They complained to the "teacher," bullied, insulted, threatened, and generally played the fool until we pulled the plug. Perhaps the hotheads will attempt to run their own forum somewhere. Good riddance. Karma will school them. I don't ever want to host another tribe of truculent trolls. When I think about how much time I spent customizing and improving the forum, I'm embarrassed by my generosity.
Why I Stopped Eating Fast Food
My favorite fast food joint was Taco Bell. I used to pick up a meal there after work about once a week. The food tasted all right. However, I began to notice side effects. The cheap food seemed to put the pounds on, and it seemed to be causing acne. I wasn't sure, so I attempted an experiment. I quit eating at Taco Bell. Presto, no more zits. I felt better and slept better at night. I recollect similar experiences with other fast food chains. I have not performed a chemical analysis of fast food, but my hunch is that the low prices mean not much care is taken in procuring healthy food.
I discovered that there is food even faster than fast food chains. It's called getting up and making it yourself. The best part about making food is the leftovers. They can be warmed up later in the microwave, which is even faster than cooking.
I discovered that there is food even faster than fast food chains. It's called getting up and making it yourself. The best part about making food is the leftovers. They can be warmed up later in the microwave, which is even faster than cooking.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Hail the Hero
There was a hero in the recent Norwegian massacre, a German man, Marcel Gleffe, who risked his life to save others.
The villain, whose name is not worthy of any mention, had the mindset of an insect, with retarded social, if adequate operational intelligence. The net outcome of his dark deed is that his ilk will continue to be despised throughout the world. It was a miserable failure in public relations, an atrocity that will provide grist for myriad conversations and publications. An insect such as he that conceives of human society as consisting only of cold numbers cannot be expected to grasp the full magnitude of his error.
The way that gays went from being persecuted to becoming members of the Establishment was not by killing, not by harming, and not by doing evil unto anyone, but by speaking out, listening, sharing, befriending, and forming alliances with others. It is through cooperation and hard work, not bloody violence, that an idea or a group earns acceptance. Those who commit violence receive the opposite of their goal.
The villain, whose name is not worthy of any mention, had the mindset of an insect, with retarded social, if adequate operational intelligence. The net outcome of his dark deed is that his ilk will continue to be despised throughout the world. It was a miserable failure in public relations, an atrocity that will provide grist for myriad conversations and publications. An insect such as he that conceives of human society as consisting only of cold numbers cannot be expected to grasp the full magnitude of his error.
The way that gays went from being persecuted to becoming members of the Establishment was not by killing, not by harming, and not by doing evil unto anyone, but by speaking out, listening, sharing, befriending, and forming alliances with others. It is through cooperation and hard work, not bloody violence, that an idea or a group earns acceptance. Those who commit violence receive the opposite of their goal.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Other Issues Besides Sexuality
I'd still be interested in politics and doing my part, even if sexuality became a non-issue, as it may very well become in the future.
Let's say gays get the right to marry across the U.S. What next? I think that marriage covers all the bases as far as sexuality goes. Maybe I'm missing a part of the puzzle, I don't know, but that's how it seems to me.
For me, manufacturing would be the #1 issue. I believe goods imported from China should be taxed to reflect the long-term costs of doing business with a slave state that is the sworn enemy of our ally, Taiwan. I believe that Congress should heed American manufacturers whenever they complain about the issue of China selling products below cost. Every American job that is lost as a result of Chinese competition is a cause for profound concern. I think that Congress does not have the correct priorities today. The correct priority is to reinvigorate the manufacturing sector in the minimum amount of time. Afghanistan and Iraq are not appropriate matters for our leaders to spend time or money upon. The appropriate focus should be upon revitalizing the U.S. economy for the long-term.
The environment would remain an important issue to me, that and fair treatment of the poor, the sick, and people in prison, especially non-violent offenders. I'd remain interested in ending the drug war and treating drug offenders in a medical, rather than a legal framework. I'd still vote for Democrats, because they seem less crazy than the Republicans on just about every issue under the sun, more in touch with science and more concerned with working-class folks. My father and mother are both Democrats, and I'd probably be a Democrat even if I had been born straight.
Let's say gays get the right to marry across the U.S. What next? I think that marriage covers all the bases as far as sexuality goes. Maybe I'm missing a part of the puzzle, I don't know, but that's how it seems to me.
For me, manufacturing would be the #1 issue. I believe goods imported from China should be taxed to reflect the long-term costs of doing business with a slave state that is the sworn enemy of our ally, Taiwan. I believe that Congress should heed American manufacturers whenever they complain about the issue of China selling products below cost. Every American job that is lost as a result of Chinese competition is a cause for profound concern. I think that Congress does not have the correct priorities today. The correct priority is to reinvigorate the manufacturing sector in the minimum amount of time. Afghanistan and Iraq are not appropriate matters for our leaders to spend time or money upon. The appropriate focus should be upon revitalizing the U.S. economy for the long-term.
The environment would remain an important issue to me, that and fair treatment of the poor, the sick, and people in prison, especially non-violent offenders. I'd remain interested in ending the drug war and treating drug offenders in a medical, rather than a legal framework. I'd still vote for Democrats, because they seem less crazy than the Republicans on just about every issue under the sun, more in touch with science and more concerned with working-class folks. My father and mother are both Democrats, and I'd probably be a Democrat even if I had been born straight.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Two Good Shows from the UK
Two recent excellent shows from the UK are Upstairs, Downstairs (2010) and Downton Abbey. These two shows are destined to become classics. I find them equal in quality. While they are comparable, each has elements that make it unique. The writing, I think, is slightly superior in Upstairs, because it deals with real social and historical issues rather than trivialities, while the camera work, set and costumes are better in Downton, a show with a much higher budget. Downton seems to dwell upon apolitical themes, whereas Upstairs doesn't mind getting into things with meaning. I think I find more kinship generally with Upstairs, but admire Downton because it is excellent and luxurious pure escapism. To be honest, I'm not altogether sure. It may be that I am mistaken about things, and Downton is better written. I think I'll just have to watch Downton again in order to make up my mind.
A Four-Leaf Clover
When I read some of the things that right wingers say out loud, even in Congress or on national television, it leads me to think that, if they could get away with it, some of 'em would put a gun to my head and pull the trigger, in fact they'd probably wipe out a great many other people besides me. Crazy as hell some of them seem to me, stirring up mischief for no good reason at all and saying things that just aren't true, even when they know it. I don't know whether I need to give any examples, because it's such a common thing. There's the wacko Birther movement, then all of the extreme things that people say against gays, and the occasional, not quite as common, extreme prejudice certain people have against marijuana.
I'm not going to repeat the garbage people say against gays. A skeptical reader could do five minutes worth of research if he felt the need. My search terms in that link are pretty innocuous, as well, and not likely to uncover the worst of the worse. I'm sure that a determined reader could uncover that on his own. I prefer not to discuss such things. Instead, I will take a single, mild, even funny talking point from the Republicans--that gay marriage is going to lead to polygamy. That makes no sense whatsoever. Straight marriage could just as easily lead to polygamy. And who does polygamy anyway? I thought that was old-school Mormon. The Mormons reformed, I thought.
I don't know what to say to people that claim Obama isn't American. It does seem like a racist thing to me. It is appalling that so many people, according to polls, really believed that line. Perhaps that gives an indication as to why this country is in the situation it is in.
And marijuana--worth putting people in jail over? I don't get it. I remember what a group of state senators said in response to the movement to decriminalize marijuana. "Never will happen in our state! We don't care about the cost of incarceration! We'll build more prisons!" That's the mentality. Build more prisons, do more harm to people. Another state senator, Republican of course, was in favor of caning marijuana users. One never hears those same senators going on about alcohol. They don't give two hoots about marijuana. They just know it is popular among liberals, and they would like to harm the liberals if they possibly can without repercussions, give them a felony conviction, ruin their lives.
People who have never tried pot can imagine it's some kind of horrible thing. People who have never had a gay friend may well think all sorts of crazy things about gays. I still don't know what to say about the Birthers. I think people have limited experience in their lives, because human lives are so brief, and they assume that anything they are told by a trusted authority is true. I remember arguing with my father over pot. He never tried it and did not know anyone who had, except for my older brother and me. He told me he thought pot was bad because the government said so. Just because the government said so! Yes, authority is often right, but is it possible, just possible, that on certain occasions, it's terribly wrong? Maybe authority needs to be modified and improved. That's my position. I like to see things improved.
But not everybody cares about improving things or even getting things done. In my lifetime, I've encountered opposition from lazy and corrupt drunks with no concern about civility, no concern about teamwork, and just the most obvious selfish motivations having to do with minimization of work and effort and maximization of idleness. They are the most resistant to change, because change means work, change means effort, and they are as lazy as the day is long. I never have understood why people hate working and hate thinking. Those are the two things I love the most, and I do them all day, every day, even in my supposed leisure time. I'd rather solve problems than watch a show any day of the week. Is that strange? At least at the end of the day, I have a feeling of accomplishment, that it was worth getting out of bed, worth being alive. I don't like feeling that a day was ever wasted. Time is important. There is a purpose to life.
I remember a right-winger at the office where I worked. This was the second or third time I had ever laid eyes on him. He was talking to my supervisor about politics, a subject I tried to avoid, and he looked at me, smiled, and said that Democrats were traitors and deserve a bullet in the head. I had never talked about politics at work before. To this day, I don't know what he was on about, looking me in the eye. This was during the Clinton years. Clinton was not even that liberal. Definitely, Nazis are still around. What happened back then could happen again, I think. There are people out there that want to try it again, give it another go. Of course they don't want to go to prison, either, but they would do certain things if they could get away with it.
Bozo did well for himself. He was permitted to work at home, set his own hours and pretty much come and go as he pleased. He never updated his technical skills, had poor communication skills, and often had underlings do his work because he was incapable of getting anything done that wasn't simple.
I didn't get any special protection. I was kept on because I was better than some of the other programmers on my team. Some of the others liked to walk around the office with a coffee mug in their hand, chatting with their buddies most of the day about sports and sex. I remember that. Me, I was weird. I preferred remaining in my cubicle, getting things done, and why? Because I liked the work. I liked the work better than talking with old hardheaded conservatives that want to kill anybody that doesn't think the same way they do. Some people thought it was weird to sit at the desk doing work all day. It was out of the norm at that place.
Which strategy is better? Social engineering, or actually getting the work done? I don't know. Both strategies work well from what I have experienced. I suppose social engineering is easier if there's a gap between the ears. Certainly the social engineers did quite well for themselves, maybe even better than the real engineers. They were rewarded, pampered, and even promoted on frequent occasion, although sometimes when things blew up in their face, and they couldn't shift the blame, they were asked to resign. Good workers, on the other hand, were kept on, but not promoted or pampered. The rewards, salary increases, were tangible, if moderate. That's the kind of company I worked for. Maybe that's why I left. I don't know. Resentment? Maybe. Plenty of factors. I don't think I was very lucky in my career. Moderately successful, yes, but certainly I was maneuvered into a dead end, career-wise, by the antiquated technology I was assigned to maintain.
I'm holding on to a four leaf clover, besides all of the three-leaf clovers on this blog. I'm hoping that my luck improves. Maybe it won't be today or tomorrow, but I've got time, and there's no telling what the future may bring one day. I think it is wise to stay prepared and remain receptive for good fortune, if it ever does ring the phone. Seems to me the phones are ringing over in India and China more often these days. But who knows?
I'm not going to repeat the garbage people say against gays. A skeptical reader could do five minutes worth of research if he felt the need. My search terms in that link are pretty innocuous, as well, and not likely to uncover the worst of the worse. I'm sure that a determined reader could uncover that on his own. I prefer not to discuss such things. Instead, I will take a single, mild, even funny talking point from the Republicans--that gay marriage is going to lead to polygamy. That makes no sense whatsoever. Straight marriage could just as easily lead to polygamy. And who does polygamy anyway? I thought that was old-school Mormon. The Mormons reformed, I thought.
I don't know what to say to people that claim Obama isn't American. It does seem like a racist thing to me. It is appalling that so many people, according to polls, really believed that line. Perhaps that gives an indication as to why this country is in the situation it is in.
And marijuana--worth putting people in jail over? I don't get it. I remember what a group of state senators said in response to the movement to decriminalize marijuana. "Never will happen in our state! We don't care about the cost of incarceration! We'll build more prisons!" That's the mentality. Build more prisons, do more harm to people. Another state senator, Republican of course, was in favor of caning marijuana users. One never hears those same senators going on about alcohol. They don't give two hoots about marijuana. They just know it is popular among liberals, and they would like to harm the liberals if they possibly can without repercussions, give them a felony conviction, ruin their lives.
People who have never tried pot can imagine it's some kind of horrible thing. People who have never had a gay friend may well think all sorts of crazy things about gays. I still don't know what to say about the Birthers. I think people have limited experience in their lives, because human lives are so brief, and they assume that anything they are told by a trusted authority is true. I remember arguing with my father over pot. He never tried it and did not know anyone who had, except for my older brother and me. He told me he thought pot was bad because the government said so. Just because the government said so! Yes, authority is often right, but is it possible, just possible, that on certain occasions, it's terribly wrong? Maybe authority needs to be modified and improved. That's my position. I like to see things improved.
But not everybody cares about improving things or even getting things done. In my lifetime, I've encountered opposition from lazy and corrupt drunks with no concern about civility, no concern about teamwork, and just the most obvious selfish motivations having to do with minimization of work and effort and maximization of idleness. They are the most resistant to change, because change means work, change means effort, and they are as lazy as the day is long. I never have understood why people hate working and hate thinking. Those are the two things I love the most, and I do them all day, every day, even in my supposed leisure time. I'd rather solve problems than watch a show any day of the week. Is that strange? At least at the end of the day, I have a feeling of accomplishment, that it was worth getting out of bed, worth being alive. I don't like feeling that a day was ever wasted. Time is important. There is a purpose to life.
I remember a right-winger at the office where I worked. This was the second or third time I had ever laid eyes on him. He was talking to my supervisor about politics, a subject I tried to avoid, and he looked at me, smiled, and said that Democrats were traitors and deserve a bullet in the head. I had never talked about politics at work before. To this day, I don't know what he was on about, looking me in the eye. This was during the Clinton years. Clinton was not even that liberal. Definitely, Nazis are still around. What happened back then could happen again, I think. There are people out there that want to try it again, give it another go. Of course they don't want to go to prison, either, but they would do certain things if they could get away with it.
Bozo did well for himself. He was permitted to work at home, set his own hours and pretty much come and go as he pleased. He never updated his technical skills, had poor communication skills, and often had underlings do his work because he was incapable of getting anything done that wasn't simple.
I didn't get any special protection. I was kept on because I was better than some of the other programmers on my team. Some of the others liked to walk around the office with a coffee mug in their hand, chatting with their buddies most of the day about sports and sex. I remember that. Me, I was weird. I preferred remaining in my cubicle, getting things done, and why? Because I liked the work. I liked the work better than talking with old hardheaded conservatives that want to kill anybody that doesn't think the same way they do. Some people thought it was weird to sit at the desk doing work all day. It was out of the norm at that place.
Which strategy is better? Social engineering, or actually getting the work done? I don't know. Both strategies work well from what I have experienced. I suppose social engineering is easier if there's a gap between the ears. Certainly the social engineers did quite well for themselves, maybe even better than the real engineers. They were rewarded, pampered, and even promoted on frequent occasion, although sometimes when things blew up in their face, and they couldn't shift the blame, they were asked to resign. Good workers, on the other hand, were kept on, but not promoted or pampered. The rewards, salary increases, were tangible, if moderate. That's the kind of company I worked for. Maybe that's why I left. I don't know. Resentment? Maybe. Plenty of factors. I don't think I was very lucky in my career. Moderately successful, yes, but certainly I was maneuvered into a dead end, career-wise, by the antiquated technology I was assigned to maintain.
I'm holding on to a four leaf clover, besides all of the three-leaf clovers on this blog. I'm hoping that my luck improves. Maybe it won't be today or tomorrow, but I've got time, and there's no telling what the future may bring one day. I think it is wise to stay prepared and remain receptive for good fortune, if it ever does ring the phone. Seems to me the phones are ringing over in India and China more often these days. But who knows?
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Straight Marriage, Gay Marriage
Find a beautiful younger woman, and a marriage of 30 years means squat. I find it interesting that the king of a media empire that sometimes rails against gay marriage treated the institution of marriage like rubbish.
It's funny how homophobes claim marriage is a fragile sacred cow that can't be changed, when some of them, especially the rich and powerful, change it at the drop of a hat whenever it suits them. I am reminded of Newt Gingrich, who divorced his wife while she was in the hospital with cancer. Lots of class, Jack. I'd never do that to my partner. These guys could learn about loyalty and morality from a gay couple. It is ironic that they have so much influence on whether gay couples get the right to marry.
It is a strange thing to have so many irons in the fire of an enormous political debate trumpeted throughout the media. If gay marriage becomes the law of the land, then I win big. Many of the problems that loom great before me will resolve. If it remains under ban, then I lose big, or rather, continue losing like I always have. Even my life expectancy is tied to the question of gay marriage, because marriage brings so many legal and financial benefits. The idea of lifelong monogamy does not worry me in the least--as a matter of fact, it would be my choice without marriage, and is my choice.
I suppose the argument that runs against gay marriage is thus: abandon your lover and find some poor desperate woman, make believe that you love her, and marry her instead. That was indeed the chosen remedy of some gay men in the past. Is it fair to the woman? I don't think so. I don't think it's a good idea for either partner. It is likely that one or both partners in a sham marriage are going to fool around on the side.
I don't understand the reason for trying to push human reproduction at a time when the population is so great already. Homosexuality is a blessing in an overpopulated world. If I looked around me and saw not enough people, then I'd get with a woman and try to make more. But that's not the case. The situation is the opposite.
I think people are insane to insist on only one path in sexuality. Here's a whole group of people willing to voluntarily excuse themselves from the reproductive cycle (*in most cases). Seems like a godsend. I do think gays were sent by God, if there is a God, and I think they are a solid benefit to society, especially in today's world. People should count the benefits, rather than imagine costs.
It is difficult for me to discuss with people other than friends an issue that is so close to my personal welfare. I have so much at stake. I am tempted to consider those who oppose gay marriage to be my enemies, because they are accomplices to the legal mechanisms that inflict suffering upon me. I try to remind myself that such people lack empathy and understanding. The issue does not effect them personally. It is an opportunity for them to wield power against others, and I just happen to be an other, and my otherness is an accident of fate. There is something in the human psyche that delights in inflicting suffering upon others. The same element is to be found in many other issues, not just this one.
However, those that lack empathy and understanding do not escape from their deeds and their words unscathed. Such behavior will also manifest in their relations toward their own, and there comes what has been termed karma or divine punishment.
Karma or divine punishment feels wrong to me as a philosophy, though.
The closest approximation to truth seems, to me, that humankind forms one organism, as our cells together form one body. So if a human being harms another, it is like a cancerous growth, a cell that went berserk and needs to be removed by the body's immune system. If too many humans harm others, then the body is diseased and needs surgery, or it may even die. The overall health and improvement of the body is the most important thing. I feel this most of all when I am lying in bed at night, that there is a deeper meaning to life than just what is perceived in everyday life. I feel that things are okay somehow.
It is difficult to fully accept individualism, because life is brief and sometimes without much meaning or higher purpose. Many individuals are sacrificed with no apparent rhyme or reason. I may be sacrificed too, or you the reader for that matter. So that is why I think we may be small units within a much larger entity, rather than separate and entire within ourselves. I'm not sure how it all works. There is a great mystery about life. I don't think everyday reality is all that there is. And even if it were, we should imagine something else just to amuse ourselves.
It's funny how homophobes claim marriage is a fragile sacred cow that can't be changed, when some of them, especially the rich and powerful, change it at the drop of a hat whenever it suits them. I am reminded of Newt Gingrich, who divorced his wife while she was in the hospital with cancer. Lots of class, Jack. I'd never do that to my partner. These guys could learn about loyalty and morality from a gay couple. It is ironic that they have so much influence on whether gay couples get the right to marry.
It is a strange thing to have so many irons in the fire of an enormous political debate trumpeted throughout the media. If gay marriage becomes the law of the land, then I win big. Many of the problems that loom great before me will resolve. If it remains under ban, then I lose big, or rather, continue losing like I always have. Even my life expectancy is tied to the question of gay marriage, because marriage brings so many legal and financial benefits. The idea of lifelong monogamy does not worry me in the least--as a matter of fact, it would be my choice without marriage, and is my choice.
I suppose the argument that runs against gay marriage is thus: abandon your lover and find some poor desperate woman, make believe that you love her, and marry her instead. That was indeed the chosen remedy of some gay men in the past. Is it fair to the woman? I don't think so. I don't think it's a good idea for either partner. It is likely that one or both partners in a sham marriage are going to fool around on the side.
I don't understand the reason for trying to push human reproduction at a time when the population is so great already. Homosexuality is a blessing in an overpopulated world. If I looked around me and saw not enough people, then I'd get with a woman and try to make more. But that's not the case. The situation is the opposite.
I think people are insane to insist on only one path in sexuality. Here's a whole group of people willing to voluntarily excuse themselves from the reproductive cycle (*in most cases). Seems like a godsend. I do think gays were sent by God, if there is a God, and I think they are a solid benefit to society, especially in today's world. People should count the benefits, rather than imagine costs.
It is difficult for me to discuss with people other than friends an issue that is so close to my personal welfare. I have so much at stake. I am tempted to consider those who oppose gay marriage to be my enemies, because they are accomplices to the legal mechanisms that inflict suffering upon me. I try to remind myself that such people lack empathy and understanding. The issue does not effect them personally. It is an opportunity for them to wield power against others, and I just happen to be an other, and my otherness is an accident of fate. There is something in the human psyche that delights in inflicting suffering upon others. The same element is to be found in many other issues, not just this one.
However, those that lack empathy and understanding do not escape from their deeds and their words unscathed. Such behavior will also manifest in their relations toward their own, and there comes what has been termed karma or divine punishment.
Karma or divine punishment feels wrong to me as a philosophy, though.
The closest approximation to truth seems, to me, that humankind forms one organism, as our cells together form one body. So if a human being harms another, it is like a cancerous growth, a cell that went berserk and needs to be removed by the body's immune system. If too many humans harm others, then the body is diseased and needs surgery, or it may even die. The overall health and improvement of the body is the most important thing. I feel this most of all when I am lying in bed at night, that there is a deeper meaning to life than just what is perceived in everyday life. I feel that things are okay somehow.
It is difficult to fully accept individualism, because life is brief and sometimes without much meaning or higher purpose. Many individuals are sacrificed with no apparent rhyme or reason. I may be sacrificed too, or you the reader for that matter. So that is why I think we may be small units within a much larger entity, rather than separate and entire within ourselves. I'm not sure how it all works. There is a great mystery about life. I don't think everyday reality is all that there is. And even if it were, we should imagine something else just to amuse ourselves.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Evil Scientists
I watched "Operation Crossbow," a BBC documentary, tonight. It was about the Allied aerial reconnaissance against Nazi Germany during WW2 that resulted in the diminishing of the threat posed by the V-1 rockets. German scientists had developed highly advanced rockets that were to cost 9,000 lives.
I think there is a basis for holding scientists to a higher standard than political leaders, generals or other civilians. Scientists are smart and should know better. If they can penetrate the secrets of nature, they should also have a grounding in basic ethics. If a scientist serves a power as evil as Nazi Germany, particularly in a military capacity, his evil rises to a level above that of other human beings, who may be deceived, stupid or ignorant. A contemporary example of evil scientists would be the nuclear scientists that serve the Iranian regime.
I almost regret not having been alive during WW2 and having missed out on what seemed a glorious war. Even the smallest act must have been imbued with profound meaning and purpose when a people are joined in a collective struggle against absolute evil.
I think there is a basis for holding scientists to a higher standard than political leaders, generals or other civilians. Scientists are smart and should know better. If they can penetrate the secrets of nature, they should also have a grounding in basic ethics. If a scientist serves a power as evil as Nazi Germany, particularly in a military capacity, his evil rises to a level above that of other human beings, who may be deceived, stupid or ignorant. A contemporary example of evil scientists would be the nuclear scientists that serve the Iranian regime.
I almost regret not having been alive during WW2 and having missed out on what seemed a glorious war. Even the smallest act must have been imbued with profound meaning and purpose when a people are joined in a collective struggle against absolute evil.
Unemployment
My experience in technology is extensive. I breathe and bleed tech, having programmed since the age of fourteen. I'm what is called a natural. I didn't go into programming just for money, but because I enjoyed it and discovered I was good at it.
Nevertheless, on a regular basis, I am being passed over for jobs that I am qualified or even overqualified for, despite flexibility over the issue of salary and other matters and despite an eagerness and readiness to learn. In many cases it seems that I am not even given a second glance, but dismissed out of hand for one reason or another, most likely age or a gap in employment or the lack of employment. I did not think so before, but sometimes I fear that I may never work again in my chosen field and that my productive life is over.
Of course, there are many people in the same boat or even in worse circumstances, so I do not feel alone, not in today's economy. I do not believe it is anything to be ashamed of, either, because I am just as competent as ever, ready to reach the same height of excellence that I reached in the past. My loss is not only my own, but in part, also a loss to the companies that overlook me. It is possible they can find candidates who are better. I have worked with programmers superior to me in skill on at least three occasions. It is more likely they will find candidates who are just as good. I've been fortunate enough to work with my equals many times. It is also possible that their selection will not be as good, or will crash and burn, as I have seen many programmers do. But that is their problem. Those companies will have to deal with the fallout. I won't be there to pick up the pieces as I was in so many other cases of programmers who bailed out, went bananas or got fired.*
I feel sad at the lack of hope for me and probably millions of others, but not ashamed, because the circumstances of today were not of my doing. Today's economy is an indictment of a political and economic philosophy that is not my own. I sometimes feel angry, because there are many who express contempt toward others and obtain a strange satisfaction from the suffering of others. But they are not important, only loud and shrill, like crickets at night. Angry and mean people tend to clamor for the most attention. Often it is best to ignore them. They do not have much capacity for learning. Those who have understanding are more interesting, and I prefer to pay attention to them.
I don't let anger keep any grip upon me, but let it disperse after it has formed. It is not useful, as some people think, as I used to think, but harmful, and interferes with intelligence, like many other emotions. I'm not wise enough that I can dispense with anger altogether, and I don't know anyone who is. Anger happens in the human being. How to prevent its formation is beyond my understanding. I do know how to deal with it, though. Let it go. Don't take it seriously or at least not for long. Taking things very seriously is a grave mistake. I think a light touch is the way, a bit of humility and humor, combined with a desire to understand and to grow. Anger is the Enemy, getting in the way of intelligent thought, placing obstacles in the path of personal growth. Despair is the same.
Let us say the absolute worse happens in the next moment: a meteor hurls through my roof, striking me dead. Is that the end of the world? No, the world keeps on going, unless the meteor was very big indeed, in which case it would be termed an asteroid or a comet. I believe the Moon formed following a collision between this planet and a comet long ago. At any rate, I don't think the stakes are high for my own existence. I'm in favor of its continuation, but it does not exceed the value of other imperatives such as ethics, beauty and people that I care about. In other words, what happens, happens, and in the end I'm just a small part, a single pixel in the Impressionist painting of the world. Threads of consciousness, memes shared by me show every indication of persisting, even flourishing in my opinion, and that to me is more important. The wine exceeds the value of the vessel.
When I close my eyes at night, I feel encompassed by the greatest love, a restorative and nourishing force that makes me feel as though everything is as it should be, that things are right and good, just as they are. That does not result in a waking complacency. I've never been complacent. I'm always modifying things, trying to make them better. It is the nature of a programmer. It is not necessary to feel overwhelmed by worries and anxieties in order to get things done. That is a common misconception that I used to have. I get things done on time. Never have been a procrastinator. I just don't spend so much time worrying. There is a certain amount of fearlessness. Sometimes fear occurs to me, but then it seems strange, from someone else, from a weaker person. Fear is not any more helpful than anger. Fear of death and disease are shared by many people. I feel afraid about those inevitable fates too until I think them over, and I always come to the same conclusion in the end. There doesn't seem much purpose in being afraid of something that is going to happen no matter what. Acceptance may be a better strategy offering more benefits.
Nevertheless, on a regular basis, I am being passed over for jobs that I am qualified or even overqualified for, despite flexibility over the issue of salary and other matters and despite an eagerness and readiness to learn. In many cases it seems that I am not even given a second glance, but dismissed out of hand for one reason or another, most likely age or a gap in employment or the lack of employment. I did not think so before, but sometimes I fear that I may never work again in my chosen field and that my productive life is over.
Of course, there are many people in the same boat or even in worse circumstances, so I do not feel alone, not in today's economy. I do not believe it is anything to be ashamed of, either, because I am just as competent as ever, ready to reach the same height of excellence that I reached in the past. My loss is not only my own, but in part, also a loss to the companies that overlook me. It is possible they can find candidates who are better. I have worked with programmers superior to me in skill on at least three occasions. It is more likely they will find candidates who are just as good. I've been fortunate enough to work with my equals many times. It is also possible that their selection will not be as good, or will crash and burn, as I have seen many programmers do. But that is their problem. Those companies will have to deal with the fallout. I won't be there to pick up the pieces as I was in so many other cases of programmers who bailed out, went bananas or got fired.*
I feel sad at the lack of hope for me and probably millions of others, but not ashamed, because the circumstances of today were not of my doing. Today's economy is an indictment of a political and economic philosophy that is not my own. I sometimes feel angry, because there are many who express contempt toward others and obtain a strange satisfaction from the suffering of others. But they are not important, only loud and shrill, like crickets at night. Angry and mean people tend to clamor for the most attention. Often it is best to ignore them. They do not have much capacity for learning. Those who have understanding are more interesting, and I prefer to pay attention to them.
I don't let anger keep any grip upon me, but let it disperse after it has formed. It is not useful, as some people think, as I used to think, but harmful, and interferes with intelligence, like many other emotions. I'm not wise enough that I can dispense with anger altogether, and I don't know anyone who is. Anger happens in the human being. How to prevent its formation is beyond my understanding. I do know how to deal with it, though. Let it go. Don't take it seriously or at least not for long. Taking things very seriously is a grave mistake. I think a light touch is the way, a bit of humility and humor, combined with a desire to understand and to grow. Anger is the Enemy, getting in the way of intelligent thought, placing obstacles in the path of personal growth. Despair is the same.
Let us say the absolute worse happens in the next moment: a meteor hurls through my roof, striking me dead. Is that the end of the world? No, the world keeps on going, unless the meteor was very big indeed, in which case it would be termed an asteroid or a comet. I believe the Moon formed following a collision between this planet and a comet long ago. At any rate, I don't think the stakes are high for my own existence. I'm in favor of its continuation, but it does not exceed the value of other imperatives such as ethics, beauty and people that I care about. In other words, what happens, happens, and in the end I'm just a small part, a single pixel in the Impressionist painting of the world. Threads of consciousness, memes shared by me show every indication of persisting, even flourishing in my opinion, and that to me is more important. The wine exceeds the value of the vessel.
When I close my eyes at night, I feel encompassed by the greatest love, a restorative and nourishing force that makes me feel as though everything is as it should be, that things are right and good, just as they are. That does not result in a waking complacency. I've never been complacent. I'm always modifying things, trying to make them better. It is the nature of a programmer. It is not necessary to feel overwhelmed by worries and anxieties in order to get things done. That is a common misconception that I used to have. I get things done on time. Never have been a procrastinator. I just don't spend so much time worrying. There is a certain amount of fearlessness. Sometimes fear occurs to me, but then it seems strange, from someone else, from a weaker person. Fear is not any more helpful than anger. Fear of death and disease are shared by many people. I feel afraid about those inevitable fates too until I think them over, and I always come to the same conclusion in the end. There doesn't seem much purpose in being afraid of something that is going to happen no matter what. Acceptance may be a better strategy offering more benefits.
* - A common story throughout my career involved cleaning up other people's messes, pulling their rear ends out of the fire. I was there when the waste matter hit the fan. I was calm and rational, thinking in cold blood. Quick fixes were everybody's favorite, but I worked all day and all night if I had to, the thrill of battle spurring me on. I don't mind the drama or the pressure, but thrive on it, and can work alone or with a team.
I'm a good person to have around when things go wrong, because I don't get flustered. I relish the challenge, because it focuses all of my energy until I become greater than I was before. After final victory, there is time to celebrate, to unwind. Maybe customers are grateful, maybe not, but one's coworkers always are pleased, even if no one else recognizes what was accomplished, which is often the case because mishaps tend to be concealed from the eyes of higher-ups.
Thunderbird 5.0--Thumbs Down
I was willing to try Thunderbird because I'm a fan of Firefox, another Mozilla product. Version 5.0 made an even worse impression than version 3.0, however.
Thunderbird 5.0 has a default interface that can only be described as strange, a list of commands arranged one per line on a plain white screen like a web site from the 1990's coded by someone who just picked up HTML for the first time.
Thunderbird usurps control from the user, attempting to connect immediately, before the user has had an opportunity to enter all of the details about a mail server. This generates errors, some of the time, and is both annoying and alarming. I do not see any advantage to this approach. The developers rely upon a database maintained at the Mozilla web site and auto-detection in a misguided attempt to spare the user from ten seconds of typing. Ten seconds? Is that really a problem that is worth compromising security? During this automatic connection attempt, if the user has not first selected SSL encryption, Thunderbird will reveal to any listening hackers the unencrypted password and username, placing its users at risk of identity theft and financial loss in order to potentially spare them ten seconds worth of typing--although ten times the ten seconds gets lost if there are any failed automatic connections. The program assumes that the email address is the same as the username. That is certainly not true for all mail servers, but the program will attempt to connect anyway using the erroneous credentials, during which time the user will be staring at the screen, waiting.
The basic problem with Thunderbird, as well as with many software applications, is that the designers assume that they know much better than the end user. When that assumption proves mistaken--the user actually knows better than the developers about his own mail server--then the application falls flat upon its face.
I found Thunderbird to be annoying and primitive. I uninstalled it after twenty minutes. I was not impressed with Thunderbird several years ago and am even less impressed today. Thunderbird is the Google Chrome of mail clients, making a feeble attempt to be simple and easy to use for novices, but lacking in the features and flexibility that expert users desire.
I believe Thunderbird was designed with the mobile user in mind. Users that have a black-and-white display with a resolution of less than 640x480 and a keyboard that is less than two inches wide may prefer Thunderbird, because it uses very little screen width and makes heroic efforts to spare the user from typing.
Thunderbird 5.0 has a default interface that can only be described as strange, a list of commands arranged one per line on a plain white screen like a web site from the 1990's coded by someone who just picked up HTML for the first time.
Thunderbird usurps control from the user, attempting to connect immediately, before the user has had an opportunity to enter all of the details about a mail server. This generates errors, some of the time, and is both annoying and alarming. I do not see any advantage to this approach. The developers rely upon a database maintained at the Mozilla web site and auto-detection in a misguided attempt to spare the user from ten seconds of typing. Ten seconds? Is that really a problem that is worth compromising security? During this automatic connection attempt, if the user has not first selected SSL encryption, Thunderbird will reveal to any listening hackers the unencrypted password and username, placing its users at risk of identity theft and financial loss in order to potentially spare them ten seconds worth of typing--although ten times the ten seconds gets lost if there are any failed automatic connections. The program assumes that the email address is the same as the username. That is certainly not true for all mail servers, but the program will attempt to connect anyway using the erroneous credentials, during which time the user will be staring at the screen, waiting.
The basic problem with Thunderbird, as well as with many software applications, is that the designers assume that they know much better than the end user. When that assumption proves mistaken--the user actually knows better than the developers about his own mail server--then the application falls flat upon its face.
I found Thunderbird to be annoying and primitive. I uninstalled it after twenty minutes. I was not impressed with Thunderbird several years ago and am even less impressed today. Thunderbird is the Google Chrome of mail clients, making a feeble attempt to be simple and easy to use for novices, but lacking in the features and flexibility that expert users desire.
I believe Thunderbird was designed with the mobile user in mind. Users that have a black-and-white display with a resolution of less than 640x480 and a keyboard that is less than two inches wide may prefer Thunderbird, because it uses very little screen width and makes heroic efforts to spare the user from typing.
Monday, July 18, 2011
A Dream of Swimming
I dreamed I was swimming last night in a pool. Observing me were many people, including some I recognized, such as my supervisor and the vice president at the last company I worked for. They criticized my swimming as being too slow. That stung me, because I had always wanted to please the higher-ups, but I kept swimming. My favorite style was the Frog, where one kicks behind and sweeps above, keeping the head underwater until the hands are parallel with the shoulders, at which point one emerges for a gulp of air. It is not the fastest style. Other swimmers were faster, and I endeavored not to get in their way.
I was never considered slow in any job-related capacity. Faster than expected was a more common impression. I think the dream concerns the need for speed in so many online games, at least at the higher levels of competition. Chess and Lexulous are both timed, and players complain about a ponderer like me. When I forget myself, I can look at a position for hours, trying to riddle out the perfect line. It comes from being a programmer. Of course no one is much concerned with perfection. They want a good quick game during their coffee break or whatever thin slice of leisure time they find in the hectic modern life.
I've been asked to take timed tests in college and more recently for the sake of employment. In those cases, I have little trouble, because the time allotments tend to be quite generous in my opinion. I do find it bizarre that a college degree no longer suffices, that a high GPA no longer suffices, and employers demand that an applicant complete an IQ test. By doing so, they betray a contempt of higher education. In one case, I received a request to complete an IQ test from someone I did not recognize. I wrote back, asking for information about the position being applied for. I think if I took a test without knowing the stakes, then that would be flunking another kind of IQ test, showing gullibility. I won't just take a test for anybody out of the blue. There needs to be something in it for me, a potential reward, such as a job. If the sender is not willing to offer me any identification, then that particular opportunity was simply not meant to be. Good riddance. I think IQ tests are a bit insulting, not to mention time-wasters, but then so are drug tests. What they test for is pliability, not intelligence. They want sheep that will do as told. Work on this hour-long test for free, please, and we will contact you if we feel that you're not a moron, even though you've already indicated it by taking the test.
I am slow, compared to some I've seen. But I think simple things are never simple. I think complexity gets hidden and poses a danger when one remains unaware of it. The longer one thinks about something, the more that becomes apparent. I find that my opinions evolve as I uncover more information. That is why I have often deleted posts on my blog. One must remain open to the possibility of an initial impression being mistaken.
I was never considered slow in any job-related capacity. Faster than expected was a more common impression. I think the dream concerns the need for speed in so many online games, at least at the higher levels of competition. Chess and Lexulous are both timed, and players complain about a ponderer like me. When I forget myself, I can look at a position for hours, trying to riddle out the perfect line. It comes from being a programmer. Of course no one is much concerned with perfection. They want a good quick game during their coffee break or whatever thin slice of leisure time they find in the hectic modern life.
I've been asked to take timed tests in college and more recently for the sake of employment. In those cases, I have little trouble, because the time allotments tend to be quite generous in my opinion. I do find it bizarre that a college degree no longer suffices, that a high GPA no longer suffices, and employers demand that an applicant complete an IQ test. By doing so, they betray a contempt of higher education. In one case, I received a request to complete an IQ test from someone I did not recognize. I wrote back, asking for information about the position being applied for. I think if I took a test without knowing the stakes, then that would be flunking another kind of IQ test, showing gullibility. I won't just take a test for anybody out of the blue. There needs to be something in it for me, a potential reward, such as a job. If the sender is not willing to offer me any identification, then that particular opportunity was simply not meant to be. Good riddance. I think IQ tests are a bit insulting, not to mention time-wasters, but then so are drug tests. What they test for is pliability, not intelligence. They want sheep that will do as told. Work on this hour-long test for free, please, and we will contact you if we feel that you're not a moron, even though you've already indicated it by taking the test.
I am slow, compared to some I've seen. But I think simple things are never simple. I think complexity gets hidden and poses a danger when one remains unaware of it. The longer one thinks about something, the more that becomes apparent. I find that my opinions evolve as I uncover more information. That is why I have often deleted posts on my blog. One must remain open to the possibility of an initial impression being mistaken.
Friday, July 15, 2011
A Few Words about Wordpress Security
A recent widespread attack that has damaged many Wordpress blogs exploited the file permission of wp-config.php. The permission for that file absolutely must be 400 or 440. Search for yassine edder on Google, a scum that is running an automated script out of Tunisia. The hacker I will henceforth call "Asinine" hacked a friend of mine, who was terrified of losing everything. I worked for three hours to analyze and then undo every last bit of the damage. But now I know some things about Wordpress security. And I have added tens of thousands of IP addresses in Tunisia to my blacklist, just in case Asinine hops over to a different cafe.
I cannot stress enough the importance of setting the file permission of wp-config.php. Lock it down tight. Don't delay, do it today.
No one, and I mean no one, should install Wordpress without first becoming very familiar with the security requirements. There are precautions that should be established prior to going public with a site. Setting the file permission of wp-config.php is #1 on the list. Until it is set in a proper manner, the site can be hacked by any idiot from here to Tunisia.
Make regular backups of your Wordpress site. I prefer using the excellent Snapshot Backup Plugin for Wordpress by Jay Versluis. I don't know whether he is any relation to the Versluis who created the excellent HV Menu, but such a connection can only be flattering. Indeed, the reason I downloaded the plugin was because of the name recognition.
I use .htaccess rules to secure the archive files on my Apache server. This will prevent unknown parties from downloading archive files, which remains a security risk until or unless the archive is deleted.
Copy and paste the following into the existing .htaccess in the wp-content directory or create .htaccess there if it does not already exist.
The above code uses a whitelisting strategy. Replace the IP address 111.222.333.444 with your own static IP address. The code will prevent anyone from downloading the .tar file--or any file with the text "sql", "old", "ini", "bak", "gz" or "log" in it, except for someone at the specificed IP address. If placed into the .htaccess in wp-content, it will control access for all files and directories within wp-content. It does not affect the parent of wp-content.
Another way to protect archives, instead of using a whitelist, would be to demand that the downloader enter a password. This is also possible to do in .htaccess, but I went with the whitelist, because it's more convenient for me.
Incidentally, the same whitelisting strategy is highly effective for the .htaccess located in the wp-admin directory. Do not allow anyone except one IP address to access the adminstration log-in. This will lock down security on your Wordpress site. Wards off brute-force attacks and other games hackers play. It could be adapted for sites with multiple admins, as long as the IP address of each admin is known and remains static. Could be a problem with a mobile admin, though!
I cannot stress enough the importance of setting the file permission of wp-config.php. Lock it down tight. Don't delay, do it today.
No one, and I mean no one, should install Wordpress without first becoming very familiar with the security requirements. There are precautions that should be established prior to going public with a site. Setting the file permission of wp-config.php is #1 on the list. Until it is set in a proper manner, the site can be hacked by any idiot from here to Tunisia.
Make regular backups of your Wordpress site. I prefer using the excellent Snapshot Backup Plugin for Wordpress by Jay Versluis. I don't know whether he is any relation to the Versluis who created the excellent HV Menu, but such a connection can only be flattering. Indeed, the reason I downloaded the plugin was because of the name recognition.
I use .htaccess rules to secure the archive files on my Apache server. This will prevent unknown parties from downloading archive files, which remains a security risk until or unless the archive is deleted.
Copy and paste the following into the existing .htaccess in the wp-content directory or create .htaccess there if it does not already exist.
The above code uses a whitelisting strategy. Replace the IP address 111.222.333.444 with your own static IP address. The code will prevent anyone from downloading the .tar file--or any file with the text "sql", "old", "ini", "bak", "gz" or "log" in it, except for someone at the specificed IP address. If placed into the .htaccess in wp-content, it will control access for all files and directories within wp-content. It does not affect the parent of wp-content.
Another way to protect archives, instead of using a whitelist, would be to demand that the downloader enter a password. This is also possible to do in .htaccess, but I went with the whitelist, because it's more convenient for me.
Incidentally, the same whitelisting strategy is highly effective for the .htaccess located in the wp-admin directory. Do not allow anyone except one IP address to access the adminstration log-in. This will lock down security on your Wordpress site. Wards off brute-force attacks and other games hackers play. It could be adapted for sites with multiple admins, as long as the IP address of each admin is known and remains static. Could be a problem with a mobile admin, though!
I wonder who traxodone@gmail.com is? That individual sent me an email mere hours after I had posted this:
Hi Igor,
I've find your blog through Google and I hope you can help my. My blog is hacked by this guy from Tunisia, how can I restore my blog and password for wp admin?
Kind regards,
traxodone
I wrote back asking for more information, such as the blog ID and some reasons I should volunteer my assistance. No response. Well, I can't help anybody that does not communicate. Said individual may well be the hacker responsible for the attacks.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Sen. Bernie Sanders: Absolutely Brilliant
I saw Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (the April 27th, 2011 episode), and he was absolutely brilliant and absolutely right. Sanders represents what is good and right in America.
Alcohol & Cancer
Alcohol has been linked to cancer, again.
Weed is linked to cancer, too; it fights cancer. It is non-carcinogenic and non-toxic, properties not shared by alcohol.
The U.S. government displays abject ignorance by enforcing draconian laws against harmless weed, while booze causes health costs to skyrocket.
Human beings have long sought an inebriant of some kind in order to take a break from the relentless calculations of everyday living. It is unrealistic to expect that everyone is going to choose sobriety all the time and forever.
A simple legal and cultural switch from booze to pot would save the U.S. trillions in long and short-term health care costs. Yes, trillions. Alcohol kills; pot does not. Period.
One cannot expect the U.S. government to do anything sensible. Considered more important are foreign wars on behalf of Iraq and Afghanistan, where we are despised in return for providing trillions of dollars in aid. Considered more important is the never-ending drug war against drug users that costs hundreds of billions of dollars and fills the prisons with nonviolent offenders. Considered more important is aid to enemies disguised as allies like Pakistan. Basically, the U.S. government flushes half our taxes down the toilet every year. That is why the country is in the situation it is in today.
The workers are just as creative, hard-working and educated as ever, but the leaders, such as Lamar Smith (R-Tx), are hardheaded political hacks without the slightest capacity for creativity.
Weed is linked to cancer, too; it fights cancer. It is non-carcinogenic and non-toxic, properties not shared by alcohol.
The U.S. government displays abject ignorance by enforcing draconian laws against harmless weed, while booze causes health costs to skyrocket.
Human beings have long sought an inebriant of some kind in order to take a break from the relentless calculations of everyday living. It is unrealistic to expect that everyone is going to choose sobriety all the time and forever.
A simple legal and cultural switch from booze to pot would save the U.S. trillions in long and short-term health care costs. Yes, trillions. Alcohol kills; pot does not. Period.
One cannot expect the U.S. government to do anything sensible. Considered more important are foreign wars on behalf of Iraq and Afghanistan, where we are despised in return for providing trillions of dollars in aid. Considered more important is the never-ending drug war against drug users that costs hundreds of billions of dollars and fills the prisons with nonviolent offenders. Considered more important is aid to enemies disguised as allies like Pakistan. Basically, the U.S. government flushes half our taxes down the toilet every year. That is why the country is in the situation it is in today.
The workers are just as creative, hard-working and educated as ever, but the leaders, such as Lamar Smith (R-Tx), are hardheaded political hacks without the slightest capacity for creativity.
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