mind? what mind?

The following is a cross-post from my blog’s old site:

This blog has moved to a new location. After much vacillation and angst, I’ve finally registered a couple of domains and moved my blogs away from WordPress.com to a hosted server where I have complete control over, and responsibility for, my blog. As a blogging platform, I think that WordPress is one of the best (actually, it’s my opinion that WordPress is the best blogging platform, but hey, what do I know?), and the free blog hosting at WordPress.com is the best of the best: consistently being kept up to date; a knowledgeable bunch of users in the forums to provide assistance when needed; and for those that wish more flexibility or features, a number of options that are priced very competitively. And, best of all, the platform is - what else? - WordPress. The WordPress software, whether the free service at WordPress.com, or used independently, has a loyal user base that is near-fanatical. The forums at WordPress.com and at WordPress.org (WordPress.org is where you get the full software package to use on your own servers) are full of knowledgeable, honest and out-spoken users and developers, where everything about the software is discussed - both the good and not-so-good, ideas for development are shared, problems solved, challenges overcome. I’ve moved my blog, not because I am dissatisfied with WordPress.com - quite the contrary, but because I want more flexibility, and because I want to learn and stretch my knowledge of PHP and web development. With the free, group hosted service at WordPress.com, one does not have that flexibility, and rightly so. Who wants to have their blog hosted at a site where the system can be brought down because someone else made a change that didn’t work? My personal blog “mind? what mind?” has moved: a6acdde65da1ae8ed2f0f9d9f002b61d My amateur radio blog has moved: 0672b2f2a9ee1bd89652eba7508e4b3b My several web sites are, or will soon be, hosted at the excellent 1&1 Internet Inc.

Mr. “Hieronymus Isambard” (Jake) von Slatt, the Proprietor over at The Steampunk Workshop, has created a couple of very nice telegraph sounders.  Taking it even further, he interfaced one with his PC to “copy” RSS feeds in Morse code!  I attempted to post his video of one of the sounders “sounding off” an RSS feed in code, but I couldn’t get WordPress to accept it.  Take a look at his description of the project.

I have recently become a member of the web site “OurStage.com”, and am quite glad that I did. One gem that I found is the track “Into the Sun”, performed by Chantel Mead & 8traC, a jazz/pop piece that is beautifully rendered. The tune is catchy, Chantal’s vocals are pleasant, John Gray’s trumpet is right on, and the ensemble plays well together, complementing each other as a band ought to. I’m not the only one that is impressed; this track is placed at #1 in the standings for Jazz at OurStage so far for the month of March, 2008.

[vodpod id=ExternalVideo.483498&w=425&h=350&fv=] from www.ourstage.com posted with vodpod

The following is an email that I sent to some of my family: (Note: the formatting of the original email ostensibly from eBay did not copy correctly to here.  The original email did look valid but, obviously, does not look correct here.)

I receive quite a few “phishing” attempts every year, from people attempting to fool me into giving up my eBay login or other logins or financial data.  Usually, it’s pretty obvious to me that these emails are fakes, but a lot of people are fooled by them.  I’m sending this to you to show you how to tell if the email you’ve received is real or not. 

The first item to check is the email address of the “sender”.  In this case, the email address is obviously bogus - there is no such email address as member@localhost.  How do I know?  Well, first of all, “localhost” is a networking thing (which most people probably would not know about), and second, there is no suffix to it - no “localhost.com”, “.net”, “.org” etc.  Keep in mind that the email address that appears here is one of the easiest things to fake, so unless the email address shown is obviously fake, keep checking other parts of the email out.

Secondly, check the link for any “button” or other link that you are supposed to click on while following the email instructions.  In this case, every other link in the email is real, but when I moved the mouse pointer to hover over the “Respond Now” button, the link showed up as “http://signin.ebay.com.p.altomiudezas.com.br/eBayISAPI.dll/SignIn.htm”.  Look carefully at that internet address; yes, it does begin with a real eBay address - the http://signin.ebay.com portion is real - but it is very important to note that the address continues with “p.altomiudezas.com.br”.  Everything between the “http://” and the next “/” is the actual internet address.  This is important: if there is anything other than a “/” (forward slash) following that first “.com”, then the internet address is not completed.  In this case, the internet domain (server) is actually “altomiudezas.com.br”, and not “ebay.com”.  “.br” is what is called the internet “country code” for Brazil, as “.uk” is for Great Britain, “.us” is for the United States, “.ru” is for Russia, etc.

If you receive what looks like an email from your bank, credit card company, or any company or web site that you normally need to log into using an ID and password, and includes a “request” for any personal data such as your login id and password, SSN, credit card numbers etc., BE CAREFUL.  If you have any doubt whatsoever about the validity of the request, don’t click on any links in the email; instead, type the known, correct internet address in your web browser to go to the web site.  Even better, call the company on the phone, tell them you’ve received a suspicious email, and ask them if it’s legitimate.

Don’t get me wrong; it is generally safe to perform personal or financial transactions on the internet, and even to have this information saved on business web sites.  However, always be skeptical of emails asking for personal information or requests to “validate” your information.  One of the most common “phishing” attempts looks like an email from eBay or PayPal telling you that there is a security problem with your account, and instructing you to click on a link to a web page where you are to re-enter your login id and password along with any other requested information, and if you don’t do this your account will be frozen or closed.

This particular email that I’m forwarding is a bit more subtle than those other types that I’ve mentioned.  As I showed above, this email isn’t a direct request for me to “validate” my login and password, but is designed to make me think that I am responding to a question from a prospective buyer for an eBay auction.  My initial thought was “but I don’t have anything posted on eBay for auction.  Does Linda have something posted and forgot to tell me?”  If I actually did have an eBay auction in progress I might have just clicked on the “Respond Now” button, and only then noticed that the internet address was bogus.  Usually though, I don’t click on “buttons” in emails; instead I generally type the appropriate address directly into my browser’s address field.

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From: eBay Member: ben.m3 [mailto:member@localhost]
Sent: Friday, February 15, 2008 8:15 PM
To: xxxxxx@xxx.xxx
Subject: You’ve received a message from an eBay member

eBay sent this message to thor.farrow@gmail.com .
Your registered name is included to show this message originated from eBay. Learn more.

Your message from an eBay member.

Do not respond to the sender if this message requests that you complete the transaction outside of eBay. This type of offer is against eBay policy, may be fraudulent, and is not covered by buyer protection programs. Learn More.

User details:

From User:

ben.m3 (24)

96.2% Positive Feedback

Member since 07-Sep-05 in United Kingdom

Location : Devon, United Kingdom

Activity with ben.m3 (last 90 days):I have bid on 0 items from ben.m3
Activity with ben.m3 (last 90 days):ben.m3 has bid on 0 of my items

Can you estimate the costs for shipping the item to Devon, UK ?

- ben.m3

Respond to this message

If you use My Messages to respond, your email address will not be shared.

Marketplace Safety Tip

• Second Chance Offer emails with the subject of “message from eBay Member” are fake. Real Second Chance Offers come directly from eBay and also appear in My Messages with a subject line of “You have a second chance offer…”.
• Never pay for your eBay item using instant case wire transfer services through Western Union or MoneyGram. These payment methods are unsafe when paying someone you don”t know. Learn more about sending payments.
• Is this email inappropriate? Does it breach eBay policy? Help protect the Community by reporting it.

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Learn More to protect yourself from spoof (fake) emails.
Another eBay member sent this email to thor.farrow@gmail.com through the eBay platform. eBay takes no liability for the sending of this email or its content
Read our Privacy Policy and User Agreement if you have any questions.
You can report this message as unsolicited (spam/spoof) email.
This email was sent by eBay Europe S.à r.l., which may make use of its affiliates to provide the eBay services. If you are a non-EU resident, please find the contact data of your contracting party in the User Agreement.
Copyright © 2007 eBay Inc. All Rights Reserved. Designated trademarks and brands are the property of their respective owners. eBay and the eBay logo are trademarks of eBay Inc. eBay International AG is located at Helvetiastrasse 15/17 - P.O. Box 133, 3000 Bern 6,Switzerland. eBay Imprint

I received this email today from one of my local Congressional Representatives about a supposed “vendor screw-up”, regarding their email server management:

Dear Mr. Farrow,

On January 7, my office was informed about a major glitch in the software system used by federal Congressional offices for legislative correspondence to and from constituents. Many of the emails and letters that we had written and sent in response to questions about issues and legislation were, we were told, never sent. However, while our timely responses got stuck on the server, our desktop software program indicated that the emails were sent on the day that we wrote them. This federal vendor has apologized and taken full responsibility for this problem.

Please accept my sincere apology for any inconvenience or frustration this may have caused. Fortunately, this software problem did not affect any follow-up communication regarding pending constituent case work. However, for those who were awaiting clarification on legislative questions, all past responses were sent simultaneously on January 7 when the system automatically reset.

Many constituents received out-of-date messages, and some received several emails at once. This was not our intention and was also a product of the software error. I’m particularly disappointed that this vendor mistake delayed our responses to you about issues you clearly cared deeply enough about to contact my office.

Again, I’m sorry for the delay in responses. I remain committed to answering constituents’ questions in a timely way. Our vendor is auditing these processes to ensure email transmissions are sent and received properly. If you’d like to speak to me in person, please watch for announcements of our Congress at Your Corner events, coming to a grocery store in your area soon.

As always, it’s an honor to serve you.

Sincerely,

Melissa L. Bean

Member of Congress

P.S. To stay informed on this and other important topics, visit my website at www.house.gov/bean to subscribe to e-news updates.

Do you read?  Do you read books, magazines, newspapers, blogs?  I do; I read a lot.  I don’t read newspapers, and I read magazines only occasionally, but I am constantly picking up a book.  I read hard, bulky, paper books; I read electronic copies of books, either on my laptop or on my Palm T3 PDA.  So yes, I do a lot of reading.

There is a new gadget available for readers, marketed by Amazon.com, arguably the largest bookseller on the planet.  Kindle: Amazon’s New Wireless Reading Device.  I have not actually held one in my hands, but I’m impressed enough by what I’ve seen in the videos and description on Amazon’s web site that I’ve put the Kindle right up at the top of my “wish list”.  Here is a video introduction to this heavenly device:

And here is some of the marketing description from Amazon’s Kindle web site:

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Paper-like Screen

Utilizing a new high-resolution display technology called electronic paper, Kindle provides a crisp black-and-white screen that resembles the appearance and readability of printed paper. The screen works using ink, just like books and newspapers, but displays the ink particles electronically. It reflects light like ordinary paper and uses no backlighting, eliminating the glare associated with other electronic displays. As a result, Kindle can be read as easily in bright sunlight as in your living room.The screen never gets hot so you can comfortably read as long as you like.

See what others are saying about the Kindle screen:

James Patterson, author of You’ve Been Warned, “The screen is fabulous. You would expect that, with a screen, there would be a glare, it would be hard to read but it’s not. There’s no glare. It’s not backlit, which is kind of magical. I think people are going to be very, very surprised and delighted. This is a lot easier to read than a lot of books are these days.”

Michael Lewis, author of Moneyball, “I’m telling you, after five minutes I’ve ceased to think I’m looking at a screen. It’s not like reading a computer screen. It’s more like reading a piece of paper. I think it’s actually clearer, easier on the eye than the printed word.”

Neil Gaiman, author of Stardust, “It’s like paper and it’s very interesting. It’s very, very crisp. Very functional. Very readable.”

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Wireless Access with Whispernet™

Whispernet utilizes Amazon’s optimized technology plus Sprint’s national high-speed (EVDO) data network to enable you to wirelessly search, discover, download, and read content on the go.

Unlike WiFi, you don’t have to find a hotspot. Amazon pays for Kindle’s wireless connectivity so you will never see a monthly wireless bill for shopping the Kindle Store. There is no wireless setup—you are ready to shop, purchase and read right out of the box.

Note: There is no wireless coverage available currently on Sprint’s data network for Kindle in Montana and Alaska.
Check Wireless Coverage

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Carry Your Library in 10.3 Ounces

At 10.3 ounces, Kindle is lighter and thinner than typical paperbacks, and fits easily in one hand. Its built-in memory stores hundreds of titles. An optional SD memory card lets you hold even more. From Melville to Morrison, your favorite authors can always be with you.

In addition, a copy of every book you purchase is backed up online in Your Media Library in case you ever need to download it again. This allows you to make room for new titles on your device, knowing that Amazon is storing your personal library, which can always be re-downloaded wirelessly. If you are out of wireless coverage, such as traveling overseas, you can download books to your computer from Your Media Library and transfer via USB to your Kindle. Think of it as a bookshelf in your attic—even though you don’t see it, you know your books are there.

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Ergonomic Design

We wanted Kindle to be as easy to hold and use as a book, so we designed it with long-form reading in mind. When reading for long periods of time, people naturally shift positions often. Kindle’s full-length, vertical page-turning buttons are located on either side, allowing you to read and turn pages comfortably from any position. Navigation on both sides means both “lefties” and “righties” can easily use Kindle with one hand. And at only 10.3 ounces, Kindle is lighter and thinner than a typical paperback.

 

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Shop the Kindle Store Right from Your Device

You can shop the Kindle Store wirelessly right from your device, allowing you to click, buy, and start reading your purchases within a minute. The Kindle Store offers the same great Amazon.com customer experience you’re used to, including customer reviews, personalized recommendations, and low prices. Simply search for the title or author you’re interested in reading, or browse the store to discover titles and download your reading choices. We auto-deliver your selections wirelessly, so the next time you hear about a great book, just click, buy, and read.

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Search

Kindle makes it easy to search across your library. To use the Search feature, simply type in a word or phrase you’re looking for, and Kindle will find every instance across your Kindle library. Looking for an article you read a couple of days ago about hybrid cars but can’t remember where? Simply type in hybrid and Kindle will search your library for each reference, making it easy to jump directly to what you’re looking for. You can extend your search to the Kindle Store to find related titles you may be interested in. Explore even further by searching Wikipedia.

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Keyboard

Kindle’s QWERTY keyboard puts the Kindle Store at your fingertips. Simply type in a title, author, or keyword to find the book, newspaper, or magazine you are looking for. From there, click to buy, and begin reading your selection in under a minute.

The keyboard also enables you to do a full text search across your entire library or within a specific title. To find the article you read last week on globalization, simply type in globalization to locate each relevant reference. You can then jump to Wikipedia to learn more about it. The keyboard also means you can annotate text and utilize Kindle’s built-in dictionary without interrupting your reading.

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Bookmarks and Annotation

By using the keyboard, you can add annotations to text, just like you might write in the margins of a book. And because it is digital, you can edit, delete, and export your notes, highlight and clip key passages, and bookmark pages for future use. You’ll never need to bookmark your last place in the book, because Kindle remembers for you and always opens to the last page you read.

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Built-in Dictionary

Never get caught without a dictionary. Kindle includes The New Oxford American Dictionary with over 250,000 entries and definitions, so you can seamlessly look up the meanings of words without interrupting your reading. Never fear a sesquipedalian word again—simply look it up as you go.

 

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Wireless Access to Wikipedia

Kindle also includes free built-in access to the world’s most exhaustive and up-to-date encyclopedia—Wikipedia.org. With Kindle in hand, looking up people, places, events and more has never been easier. It gives whole new meaning to the phrase walking encyclopedia.

 

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Adjustable Text Size

Because one size doesn’t fit all, you can increase the text size of your favorite book or periodical with the push of a button. If your eyes tire, simply increase the font size and continue reading comfortably. Kindle has six adjustable font sizes to suit your reading preference.

 

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Long Battery Life

Leave wireless on and recharge approximately every other day. Turn wireless off and read for a week or more before recharging. Battery life will vary based on wireless usage, such as shopping the Kindle Store and downloading content. In low coverage areas or in 1xRTT only coverage, wireless usage will consume battery power more quickly. Kindle fully recharges in two hours.

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What’s included in the box?

Kindle Electronic Reader
Book cover
Power adapter
USB 2.0 cable

With all of that magic going on, what’s the down side?  The cellular wireless service used for downloading books and subscriptions is not available everywhere.  To see the wireless coverage, click here.  Fortunately, you can connect the Kindle to your PC via a USB cable, and transfer all supported materials to the device.  Supported materials include books and subscriptions from Amazon; Audible audio books; .mp3 music files; .txt files; Mobipocket files that do not have DRM (digital rights management); MS Word and HTML files that have been converted for you by Amazon; and JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP files (remember, the display is black and white, not color).  Only the Amazon-supplied books, newspaper, magazine and blog subscriptions, and your converted Word and HTML files can be delivered direct to your Kindle via the wireless network; all other files must be copied to the device from your PC. 

What else is there on the “down side”?  There is no optional backlighting so you can’t read in bed with the light off (and you just know that your bed partner will complain about the light); there is no WiFi support; and hopefully future versions will allow me to read all of those Mobipocket books that I already own.  And while we’re at it, it should also support both eReader books (of which I have quite a few) and .PDF documents as well.  And, of course, even with all of those added features, it could be less expensive, so that I might actually be able to afford to buy one.

I thoroughly enjoy the taped talks from the annual TED conferences. The TED, or “Technology, Entertainment, Design” conferences, began in 1984, and have grown ever since. In this talk from December, 2006, Bob Thurman talks about:

In our hyperlinked world, we can know anything, anytime. And this mass enlightenment, says Buddhist scholar Bob Thurman, is our first step toward becoming Buddha. When we can know everything, we can see how everything is interconnected — and we can begin to feel compassion for every living being. [youtube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=h5cZITQDTrE]

And yes, Bob Thurman is Uma’s dad.

It is interesting if you follow your own thoughts as they teeter-totter from one thing to the next.  This morning, I am sitting drinking my first cup coffee, looking through past comments here on my blog, some of the thoughts flitting through my head included people of different religions co-existing peacefully, and my God-mother Leena, who is from the Pilipines, who I had not thought of in some time, and then on to other things.  And then my attention was caught by a comment left by “sadulagnideedee” on my post about “annoying blogging habits”, and I decided to go take a look at her blog.  As it turns out, she’s living in the Pilipines, and the first post that I saw was “The Bell Tower In Payatas”, where she tells us about a bell tower donated to a local Catholic church by a Muslim couple.  Wonderful.

Every once in a while when I need a chuckle, I visit the web site “I Can Has Cheezburger?”  It never fails to bring a smile to my grouchy face.  This time, I found this snapshot that looks like a capture from a new creature scream flick, with animal stars.  No blood yet!  The puppy’s expression is a priceless image of surprise and terror.

Are you a ‘Cyberchondriac’?  I know a couple of people that are hypochondriacs to begin with, and I noticed over the years that easy access to all of the “learned” medical information available on the internet has only fueled the flames.  There recently was an article about it on the CNN web site:

ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) — First-year medical students are some of the biggest hypochondriacs around. Bombarded with information about every disease under the sun, they start to imagine they have them all. In their minds, every mole is skin cancer. A nosebleed is surely a sign of a tumor. Headache? Must be skyrocketing blood pressure.

“People get terribly anxious,” says Dr. Arthur Barsky, professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. “One woman who came to see me was convinced she had melanoma. She brought in 20 pages of color photos of various skin lesions, trying to figure out which one looked most like hers.”

And now, because of the Internet, we can all be first-year medical students. We can all develop what’s called “medical student syndrome.” We get basic information, and not necessarily a lot of context, and we’re off and running toward a conclusion that may be completely wrong.

Of course, health information on the Internet can be truly useful. But how do you know when you’re using it constructively, and when you’ve gone off on a medical wild goose chase? “I think it’s fairly easy to cross that line,” says Robin DiMatteo, a professor of psychology at the University of California, Riverside.

So how do you know when you’ve become a “cyberchondriac”?

To read the rest of the article, go here.

As for me, I think I’ve learned to take what I read with a grain of salt, and learn from it appropriately (I hope), and of course, discuss it with my doctor.