Information security

By now we have established that I work in IT, and am nothing more then a reluctant (yet enthusiastic) geek. A large portion of my day is spent talking about various security flaws in code and other applications. It seems you cant walk more then ten feet without hearing someone tell you about this great new security protocol they have created. I have no true point here other then to make a small statement. MOST INTERNET SECURITY IS A JOKE. It is impossible to make anything perfectly secure. Please by all means keep trying, but don't you dare try and tell me you did it because I will call you a liar to your face.

cheers

I take it back.

I have long held the belief that You Tube is worthless, and for that I was wrong. I have never had much interest in the things that people have sent me from You Tube, but recently I discovered something about You Tube that I am in love with. I can watch old skateboard videos whenever I want, and I can watch videos of my favorite bands that I never saw. I don't have a long post to make about this because there is simply nothing more to say, but I will now leave you with links to some things that I have truly enjoyed. Be warned that the sound quality on some these isn't the best but it's still good stuff. Without further adieu the links:

Best of Rodney Mullen
Jake Brown

Torches to Rome
City of Caterpillar
Yaphet Kotto
Reversal of Man
Orchid

This final link is of a band who I hung out with a great deal, and traveled about the west coast with. I love these kids. I am pretty sure I am somewhere at this show.

The Spirit of Versailles

I am sorry but we have to break up.

It's not you it's me... I mean I just think I need something more. I have really enjoyed the time we have spent together, but it just feels like it might be time to move on. It's nothing that you did per se, but more of what you didn't do. See Charles, I loved Post Office and Women. They were wonderful, they made me feel not so bad about my drinking( b/c I am clearly no where near as bad as you). It's just...well...like Woody Allen, you just don't bring anything new to the table from book to book. Look I know there are people out there who love reading about being drunk, never holding down a job, and sleeping with tons and tons of women, but I am simply not one of them. Mayhaps we will meet again one day in your poetry, but dearest Charles, I think Fac-to-tum will have to be our last trip down Novel Lane. It's been lovely and I cherish all the time we spent together.

cheers always

A War of Attrition

I love seeing live music. There is almost nothing else in this whole world like it. A giant crowd singing or screaming their heads off in unison, or a small intimate gathering of individuals listening intently to the next up and comer. These are moments to be held and cherished for all time. Enjoying the the bliss that comes from spending countless hours with your friends driving around the country to see a band that you have been trying to see for years... These are the things that make music so damn worth while.

However lately it has seemed like there is a bit of a war going on within the music scene (i am mostly speaking of the indie scene). If you have a job or possible early classes, or mayhaps just are not a night owl, it is almost impossible to see good shows. They rock shows seem to start later and later every year. Whatever happened to the 7:00 PM all ages show that was over no later then 10. It allowed you to either go home, and get some sleep or hang out later with friends and discuss what you had just seen.

I love my job, I take a good deal of pride in my job, but I am sick of having to choose between my job and a desire to see a band. I can not believe that everyone who is going to the show is seriously so busy that they can't show up until 11:00. What the hell are all of these people doing before the show anyways? I understand that if you work a second shift schedule, its impossible for you to get anywhere before the witching hour, but I don't believe that most of these people actually fall into this category. It seems like year after people show up even more fashionable late then before. Look I get that it sucks to be the first person at the show, but really midnight? Are you shitting me? What were you doing before you got to the show? Is there some super secrete bar or party that happens before shows that I am not privy to?

It seems the older I get the less faces I recognize at the show. Part of that of course that people lose interest in seeing shows. I understand that impulse. It is very rare that a show comes through my town that I actually care about. However I think a bigger reason is that as you get older you have more responsibilities, and thus can't be out drinking and watching rock till 3:00 AM on a Tuesday. It simply won't work.

A Clarification of my position

I am a computer guy. Try as I might to avoid them, deny them, and on rare occasions destroy them, they are are a huge part of my life. I have been rather obsessed with them since I was 13 years old. I decided at that young and tender age that I was going to be a software developer. I am in fact now a software developer.

My love/hatred of computers often leads people to misunderstand my point. This is mostly b/c I am a HORRIBLE communicator. I have very explicit beliefs on what the best operating system is, and what I want out of all of my gadgets. I am Debian GNU Linux man, and I don't get a lot of newer tech ideas (see blue tooth headsets). While I was very impressed initially by the iPhone, as I read more about it, I cooled. It simply does not do several things that I want a phone to do, and I get the distinct feeling I would not be wild about the interface. If your wild about the interface, that's great. I am not saying it can't work for you. I am saying that it doesn't work for me.

Here's the major problem though. People don't get it when I complain about various things Apple Inc does. It's not that I don't find it funny; it's not even that some of the ads are incredibly untrue (which they are), it's that I am not making these statements as a disgruntled windows user or even an M$ (thats Microsoft for those scoring at home) fan boy. Trust me, I am neither. I in fact loath Windows. I am a very satisfied user of Linux. Sure I have complaints about my OS, but I think it's the best thing going. It's free, I have tons of free software, it runs very smoothly, and I can customize as much as I want. It's everything I need. So if you ever meet me (or anyone like me) we are not saying mean things about Apple. We are simply amazed at the idea that people think that there is nothing better then a Mac and the bizarre cult of personality that has developed around the Mac.

The way Apple is going these days, it won't be long before you drive your iCar to the local Starbucks and order your iLatte. So please don't get me wrong, Apple is a solid company. They make nice and what seem to be reliable products, but I won't simple give them a pass on all criticism. I don't understand why anyone would. So please the next time I say I am not a fan of some piece of technology, be it the iPhone, the Wii, blue tooth headsets, please don't take it personally. I am not making an indictment of your life. I am simply saying I don't agree. Well, unless of course your that ass hat at the bar or the store talking on their blue tooth headset at the top of their lungs for all to hear. FUCK YOU! YOUR NOT THAT IMPORTANT!!!! HOW HARD IS IT TO PUT THE PHONE TO YOUR HEAD? HONESTLY, HOW FUCKING HARD IS THAT!

An Annoying Duality

One of my favorite things in this world is to go out and watch the baseball game at the bar. I don't really care who's playing (though a Red Sox or a Yankees game is ideal). All I want to see is a well played game. Pitchers dual? Suits me just fine. I can put my newfangled information that I gleam from Will Carol to use. Big time hitting match up? No worries I am certain Will Carol's colleges can shed some light on something I hadn't noticed before, or mayhaps Rob Neyer, Keith Law, Peter Gammons, or Jonah Keri (he does work for both ESPN and Baseball Prospects) will offer me up a new way to watch the game I love. Oh, and how can we forget the all might Buster Olney. The point is this, I LOVE BASEBALL. I spend an unhealthy amount of time thinking about it, reading about it, and talking about it to ANY of my friends who will listen. I don't even care if they like baseball.

Now here is where the duality sets in. If I do not know you, please for the love all that is holy and right in this world don't talk to me while I am watching the game. If you don't have anything to bring to the table, that's fine. Please just act as if you have been struck dumb. I am not looking for you to be an expert on the game (lord knows I am not), but please do not detract from my enjoyment of the game. Things that I would prefer that you not do.

1) Tell me about how you love getting stoned. If Roger Clemens is going for his 350 win, I promise you that I find that infinitely more interesting then your theories on where to get good weed. Really it's great that you like the herb, but I really couldn't care less.

2) Trying to convince me why everyone needs a permit to carry a hand gun, and how we should adopt ANY law strongly endorsed by Texas. In fact, can we make a new rule that says, "If Texas thinks it's a good idea, we are going to do the opposite." Can we get that put on the books somewhere please?

3) Please feel free not to tell me about how you just don't like baseball and think it's slow paced and various other things along this line of thinking. I DON"T CARE. Did I ask how you felt about the game? Nopah, can't say that I did.

The point is thus, please I beg you, if you don't have something to offer that will in some way increase my enjoyment of the game, "don't speak."

Why yes, I am in fact a fan boy.

I love watching well crafted TV shows. I am 100% unapologetic about this. I don't understand people who sit around and say TV is worthless and that it has never offered up anything good. I certainly can understand people who do not have enough money in their budget to afford cable or even a TV for that matter. These are not the people I am speaking of. I can even appreciate people who would simple rather read a book. The people I take exception with, are the sanctimonious individuals who sit there and pretend they are better then everyone else because they don't watch TV, and often times think those who do watch TV are addle minded sheep.

Last night a show that gave me more joy and happiness (and for far to short a time) then any other show has in a very long time. It was a show that did everything that I love. For as horrible a writer as I am, and even though I have a complete inability to spell, I think the study of language and the ability to craft a well formed thought is crucial. That's why I find the end of Studio 60 On the Sunset Strip to be rather heart breaking. This was a show that for once expressed politics as I see them. It addressed the hypocrisies that liberalism can lead to (not unlike conservatism for those scoring at home), actually real race issue as the exist in and outside of the Black community, it talked about religion in an honest and real way, it discussed morals and more importantly moral imperatives. In short the show depicted what life can and sometimes is like.

It's gone now, and a void will exist in my heart where this show once was. I dunno, maybe people are right...maybe there isn't anything good on.