September 2011

Remember.

I still remember sitting down and writing this blog entry on Sept. 12, 2001. On Sept. 11 I couldn’t bear to sit down and write a blog entry; Earl and I had been glued to the television set watching the news and I wasn’t able to put my thoughts into words that would be coherent for anyone to read. The next day I was able to muster that brief blog entry.

I have said before that I had a weird sense of ‘something’ as I rode the elevator up to my office on the 16th floor. The phone rang as I got off the elevator, Earl called and said a small plane had run into the World Trade Center. I had a whole bunch of spidey-sense going; I didn’t know why but the best I can describe it is borrowing from Star Wars, there was a disturbance in the force.

As I entered the doors of the radio station I worked at, the satellite feed was switching over to an ABC News special bulletin. We soon quickly put together a makeshift antenna and hooked it up in the production room of the adjoining advertising business so we could watch the news and get a handle on what was happening. The rest is history. History that I hope will never be repeated.

Yesterday at the SU game was Patriotic Day. As we honored those that have served our country and the lives that were lost on 9/11 (and those living with that loss today), my eyes teared up quite a few times. I mourn the loss of life and I’m sad for the loss of the pre-9/11 USA. Sometimes it’s so weird to step back and see where our country has gone since this tragedy. An event that united us in it’s aftermath has ultimately turned out country into a land much more markedly divided than it was 10 years ago.

As I asked last year, please burn a candle of peace today. While we will always remember the events of 9/11/01, let’s continue to learn and find ways to come back together as a united people.

11 September 2011 by Why. 0

Orange.

Back in February I bought Earl season tickets for SU Football as his birthday present. We have been excited about the arrival of football season and since we always love a chance to go to the Dome, we acquainted ourselves with our season ticket seats yesterday. We are on the 20 yard line in row K. There were no nose bleeds as we’re on in section 115. The Orange played Rhode Island. We won, though it probably wasn’t as easy a win as it should have been.

I have always loved going to the Carrier Dome and I still feel the same excitement that I did when I first went to it back in the early 1980s. It was good to get back into football season and Earl seemed very happy with his birthday present. Now we’ll probably get basketball season tickets too.

11 September 2011 by Fun and Games Dept 0

Goodies.

I was able to drive home my normal commuting route yesterday for the first time in a while. With all the flooding and such that has been going on this week many of the roads have been closed. I was happy to see that the Amish Baked Goods stand was open.

Another car pulled up to the small building ahead of me. They stopped to talk to one of the Amish men before making their way to the items for sale. As I looked over the goods, I noticed that there was just one pie for sale. It was an apple pie. I purchased that right away, along with a plate of chocolate chip cookies. The girl working the stand was the same girl that has been working there right along. She isn’t much of a conversationalist, but she did look me in the eyes when she said the only two words spoken to me, “You’re welcome”. I was happy to hear that we had progressed to two words, last time it was just “Yes”.

As I made gathered up the goodies and started back to the Jeep, the other couple made their way to the stand. I heard the woman exclaim, “Oh, pickles!”

I hope the stand is open for a few more weeks. The weather is perfect for a quick stop there before the weekend.

10 September 2011 by Food. Ponderings and Musings 0

Philanthropy.

It is no secret that Apple makes billions and billions of dollars profit on all their iDevices. They frequently bounce around the top 3 list of companies based on their value. They have tons of cash because they’re good at what they do.

While I believe they are giving back to the human experience by giving people quality ways to connect to one another through their iDevices, they’re not as active in philanthropic efforts as one would hope they would be. This is one of the reasons that I occasionally consider switching back to the Microsoft platform; the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is dedicated to bringing innovations in health, development, and learning to the global community (description taken from the website). Bill and Melinda are using a good chunk of their fortune to make important changes in the world. I like this, and this is the reason I have quite a few pieces of Microsoft hardware in my toy box.

I mention from time to time that I have a keen interest in Linux, the free, open-source operating system alternative to Windows and Mac OS X. While it pertains to my geek side very much, I also enjoy Linux, particularly Ubuntu, because it’s very design allows one to take an older, discarded computer and turn it into a relevant contributor again. This, in turn, keeps computers out of our landfills that much longer and allows us to send these machines that were deemed not powerful enough to places where they might not be able to afford it. They may not be the latest and greatest nor the shiniest, but they work just fine and are able to importing things in regards to research, education and the like. And as a quick plug for Linux: No Viruses!

It makes me happy to see that Apple’s new CEO Tim Cook is starting to turn the philanthropic philosophy at Apple around a little bit. I hope he continues that trend. As I get older and because I have the luxury to do so, I am start to consider these types of efforts more in my purchasing decisions. I am also pursuing Linux at home actively again, not because it’s a badge of honour for a geek to be using Linux, but because I have the ability to contribute to the various Linux projects, including Ubuntu, and if I can help make the experience better for the user, then maybe someone somewhere using Linux for an important cause out their in the wild will be able to do what they need to do that much easier.

I have started a little computer journey in the effort of using my skills to give back to the world. I am a lucky geek in that I get to play with technology for my job with a company that keeps people connected with one another. By contributing to various Linux based projects and by sharing my experiences and educating people, I strive to help others to stop thinking about how the computer works and instead focus on using their computer as simply a tool to achieve what they really need to achieve.

The new blog is located at thetechbear.blogspot.com. (Update: link fixed, thanks Erik)

A number of years ago, as I sat with my cousin in a hospital waiting room, wondering if my sister was going to make it through her battle with Legionella and come out in one piece, I remarked that I needed start doing more to contribute to the human experience and to make the world a better place. I suppose everyone says that sort of thing when a loved one is sick and they have lots of time to think and worry while waiting in a hospital. The important thing is to actually take the action and do something, using their natural skills and abilities.

When we do that, I believe we truly can make the world a better place.

10 September 2011 by Geek Ponderings and Musings 2

Wind.

I have mentioned the Maple Ridge Wind Farm along NY Route 177 near the eastern shore of Lake Ontario before. I found this video that was made during it’s construction in 2005 and 2006. I hope you’ll find it as interesting as I did.

9 September 2011 by Geek 1

Energised.

I just listened to part of President Obama’s speech in Richmond regarding the Jobs Act he spoke about last night during his address to Congress. One of the points he was talking about this afternoon was the effort to hire our soldiers as they come back from war in the Middle East. I think this is a very admirable effort and it’s something I mentioned earlier in the week when I talked about the poster that is up in the lobby at work. I have never had the opportunity to serve our country as a soldier. If I had approached the subject back when it mattered they would have asked and I would have told and then it’d be no dice anyway so why even put it up for consideration. I can’t help but to think that armed forces missed out on some very good soldiers with that antiquated philosophy but luckily we are moving away from that line of thinking.

As I listened to President Obama speak this afternoon, I noticed that he had a great deal of energy in his voice. I don’t know if it was because I was listening to him on satellite radio or if he feels like he has some extra pep in his step after his speech and revealing of his new Jobs Act plan last night, but I can’t help but appreciate the persistence I heard in his voice.

I like that in a person. Energy. Forward thought. Forward thinking. I often write about my past experiences in my life here on my blog but it’s not because I dwell on the past, it’s because I recognize that what has happened to me along this life has shaped me into who I am today. The learning experiences of the past, coupled with a positive attitude of the future, give me the energy to seek what I want and to find the energy to go after it. I think that’s why I’ve been smiling more, well, that and a particular wedding that in my fairly near future.

Life is good. And I have the energy to make sure it stays that way.

– I am crossing my fingers and praying to the digital mecca that this has been a successful instance of using BlogPress from my iPad

9 September 2011 by Fun and Games Dept 0

Floods.

Work is chaotic today. Several co-workers were unable to get to work due to the flooding from the constant rain of the past 48 hours; rain that added to the already swollen rivers and creeks that were still quite impressive after Hurricane Irene.

I noticed that there were hardly any cars on the road this morning, especially when I drove through the small village of St. Johnsville. Turns out that I wasn’t suppose to be on the road in Montgomery County; all the roads have been closed and they are ticketing drivers if they are creating non-essential traffic. I guess I was lucky, the only other vehicle I encountered in Montgomery County was a horse and buggy. I don’t think the Amish drivers heard the news since they don’t have radio and all. The horse seemed happy.

They are now really cracking down on traffic on the roads today though, so I have no idea how I’m going to get home. The alternate back route that I usually take doesn’t pass through Montgomery County but the bridges over the West Canada Creek are closed due to flooding. I might have to make a scenic trip through the Adirondacks if I want a home-cooked meal tonight. Many others at work commute a similar distance, albeit from a different direction. They are planning their routes out as well.

When I was illegally passing through St. Johnsville this morning I noticed that the marina along the Barge (Erie) Canal had flooded so bad that the docks were no longer visible. Some boats looked to be floating over where the docks should be. The statue that stands next to the little lighthouse had water up to it’s neck.

Luckily the building I work in is in the foothills of the Adirondacks, so we are high up in the terrain. There is a reason I have always told Earl that I never want to live in the valley. I need to be up on top of hills so I can see what’s going on.

And so we don’t float away. Godspeed to those that are having much, much worse experiences with the floods today. I hope they are safe.

– I am crossing my fingers and praying to the digital mecca that this has been a successful instance of using BlogPress from my iPad

8 September 2011 by Ponderings and Musings 2

Weather.

It has rained a lot since Tuesday. Our backyard continues to be flooded.

We have had some very impressive weather over the past couple of weeks: the remnants of a hurricane, an earthquake, a nearby tornado and of course lots and lots of rain. Many are telling us that this is a sign from God that He is not pleased. While I have a hard time believing that an all-loving, all-benevolent force would be so vengeful, I can see Mother Nature trying to nudge us a little bit to let us know that she’s not going to put up with our destructive ways much longer.

People tell me that this weather is just part of the cycle, the natural order of things. That’s all well and good and I can buy that, but sometimes I wonder if we are in the part of the cycle where we go from rinse to spin and the junk goes down the drain.

8 September 2011 by Ponderings and Musings 0

Pride.

I have the luxury of working for a company that I believe in. Not everyone has that luxury these days, heck, there’s too many people that don’t have the luxury of working at all. Hopefully someone will figure out how to fix that little issue that’s plaguing our country. I hope it’s in my lifetime.

But, as a gainfully employed web developer, I have to say that I am rather proud of some of the philosophies of the company that I work for. I work for the largest rural telephone company in the United States. As a company that has grown leaps and bounds of the past 10 years through various acquisitions, the latest being a sizeable chunk of Verizon’s former landline business, Frontier Communications provides voice and data communications to many of the harder to reach places in the country. That in itself is kind of cool.

One of the driving forces of Frontier is community engagement. Our internal communications are packed with photographs, articles and the like of the company doing something, somewhere for the community. Blood drives, shelters, scholarship funds and the like are just the tip of the iceberg. Again, another cool thing.

When I walk into the main entrance at work, I can’t help but notice the latest poster on display. Frontier prides itself on being a 100% U.S.-based workforce. Everything is based in the country; we are as “Made In America” as telephone and internet service can be. If you call in with a trouble, you’ll speak to someone in the states. Our women named Peggy are really women and they don’t fake an American accent. I kind of like the idea of working for a company that is striving to keep it’s workforce U.S. based. In addition, and here’s the part that I really like, Frontier is going out of it’s way to hire men and women that have served in the Armed Forces. So many of our soldiers are coming home to find they have nothing, it’s good to work for a company that is striving to give them something.

Giving back and making a difference are big priorities when I’m looking for my next employment opportunity. I have to feel good about the work we do. I’ve been my position for over 18 months and I have to say, I’m still kind of diggin’ it for many, many reasons.

– I am crossing my fingers and praying to the digital mecca that this has been a successful instance of using BlogPress from my iPad

7 September 2011 by Ponderings and Musings 0

Reality?

I try to do my best to stay abreast of what’s going on in the news, especially in the political arena. When I have the privilege of casting a vote for the leaders of our country, I want it to be a well-thought out vote for the candidate that I feel will do the best for the job they are being elected for. I believe that it is the responsibility of every citizen to cast an intelligent vote at the ballot box. To skip voting or to just randomly color in dots, hang chads, pull levers or whatever is irresponsible.

That being said, I must admit that watching the news is getting more and more difficult for me these days. One person commented on a tech board yesterday that they “cut the cable”, meaning that they disconnected themselves from cable television, opting to download media to their computers and the like instead. One of the reasons for their decision was the fact that watching the news made them feel homicidal. I have to admit that I grinned when reading that remark, because while I’m not at that limit, I certainly can sympathize with the feelings in that general area.

Every time I see presidential candidates make promises that they can do better and make our country a better place by doing a laundry list of ridiculous notions it makes me want to kick in the television screen.

Our TV is much too nice for that sort of abuse (the kick OR the babel from the candidates).

I end up yelling back, or at the very least, asking the question, “Is this the best you got?” I know my grammar is bad when I ask this but I don’t care.

I’m beginning to see a blurring of the line between reality show-like contests and presidential campaigns. Let’s see who can be the most outrageous by eating the biggest fried corn dog. Before you know it they’ll be eating live bugs with a cow’s blood chaser. Let’s see who can make the most absurd proclamation (i.e., “I’ll have gas to below $2 per gallon in three months!”). Let’s see who can steal the spotlight but trouncing around the country in a big bus but proclaim that they don’t really want to run for the presidency, they just want the attention. And let’s see who can spend the most money that we don’t have and hope that some of that money goes somewhere and sticks to something so that millions of people can find jobs.

It’s sad to me that elections have gone in this direction, but when you have to compete with the likes of American Idol and Big Brother, I guess politics have to be made extreme, wild and sexy to get the attention of the ever dwindling collective IQ of the American public.

The founding fathers have to be spinning in overdrive in their graves.

– I am crossing my fingers and praying to the digital mecca that this has been a successful instance of using BlogPress from my iPad

6 September 2011 by Politics. This Ain't No CNN. Why. 1

About J.P.

Just a guy with a husband. We’ve been together 28 years and he still makes me see fireworks on a daily basis. Hiker. Storm Chaser. Private Pilot. Tech Guy. Hackerish.

Weird? Eccentric!

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