Saturday, June 30, 2018
Stop shooting the messenger!
WTF, America?!
I can’t believe that just days before our nation’s 242nd birthday that I’d be so outraged at what has become of our country.
Granted, there has been a lot in the news lately that has left me shaking my head and wondering what has happened to the idealism and American Spirit that once made this country a beacon to the world. But the recent slaughter of five journalist at a Maryland newspaper has me fuming over what has happened to our society.
I may now be an IT guy, but I started my career as a journalist – and up until about a year ago, I worked for a community newspaper much like the Capital Gazette – so this story strikes rather close to home. Part of what has me so worked up is that this story isn’t being treated as what it truly is: A terrorist attack aimed at the very fabric of this country.
Yes, I know the death toll in this shooting comes nowhere close to those of the Sept. 11, 2001 attack;
the Boston Marathon bombing or even the aftermath of truck running down cyclists and runners on the Hudson River bike path in Manhattan last Halloween. And before you point out that (as of this writing) the gunman’s motives weren’t politically motivated, I’d beg to differ….
While in today’s political climate, it may not be “fashionable” to defend the press, I’d like to remind everyone – especially in the run up to the July 4th holiday – that our Founding Fathers thought that the proper, free and unfettered operation of the press was so important that they put it in the First Amendment of our Constitution, ahead of every other right we have as citizens of this country.
They rightfully realized that the press was “We The People’s” final check/defense against abuse of power: whether it come from the government, the wealthy, community leaders or even our own neighbors. And whether you like what the press reports on or even how they report it, a democracy like ours cannot survive without a free press.
So yes, this was a terrorist attack against the very fabric of this country, aimed at silencing all those who would dare question those in power and try to hold them accountable for their actions.
Sadly, I expect this type of intimidation of the press in Third-World juntas, dictatorships or authoritarian regimes such as North Korea, Russia and Turkey, just to name a few. But I’d never thought I see it happen here.
Now I know exactly how Steve Rodgers felt in the Captain America movies. After getting accidentally frozen back in World War II and awoken in modern times to find a nation whose values he no longer recognizes, he quickly becomes disillusioned with the path the U.S. appears heading down as it draws ever closer to becoming exactly like the countries he fought so hard against in the last century.
And that’s what has got me furious. Because unlike in the comics or films there is no shady organization trying to undermine our freedoms and take away our rights. We are doing it to ourselves!
It would be so easy to blame an evil cabal like Hydra for our current predicament. But the truth of the matter is the fault lies with us. For letting our politicians foment division among our people and promoting an “Us vs. Them” attitude for the sake of their own selfish desire for political power. And for believing them when they demonize anyone who tries to point out their misdeeds or hypocrisy.
So in effect, we are all willing accomplices to the murders of Rob Hiaasen, Wendi Winters, Gerald Fischman, John McNamara, and Rebecca Smith, because we’ve let our leaders convince us that the mainstream media is evil and full of “Fake News.” We’ve let them convince us that journalist are sub-human or second-class citizens and it’s perfectly acceptable to commit violence against them or shoot them for any offense, real or imagined.
A decade ago, such an attitude would have horrified us. It would have been dismissed as the rantings of some radical nut-job. But today, it’s simply shrugged off, or worse yet, accepted as true.
Look, I understand that not everyone likes what the press reports, and that’s okay. But it is NOT okay to kill them because of it and it also doesn’t mean that just because you don’t like the things they are reporting, it isn't true.
Instead of casting aspersions, do some research and seek independent confirmation. And if just about everyone else is reporting the same thing, then maybe the story has some truth to it and isn’t just a conspiracy by some nameless/faceless group bent on world domination.
To do this however, we need to stop listening to those voices who seek to divide us and start listening to each other. We need to stop calling each other names like “racist” or “snowflake,” because if you have to resort to this type of name-calling you automatically invalidate any point you may make.
We need to realize that those people who don’t agree with our point of view might actually have valid concerns or ideas and we need to work with each other to find a compromise that’s acceptable to all sides.
That’s what’s made this country work for the past 200-plus years and hopefully will make it work again for the next 200.
Most of all we really need to stop shooting the messenger – both figuratively and literally.
Monday, May 28, 2018
Adventures in Woodworking: The Build Begins!
For me it marks the official opening of my woodworking shop and start of a project or two destined to take me all summer to complete.
This year, that project is a long-awaited series of built-in cabinets and bookshelves which will eventually surround the new big-screen TV I wrote about getting last November.
I’ve been talking about building this since we moved in 20 years ago, and now that we finally got that shiny, new, big flat-screen TV, and re-arranged our living room, I’ve run out of excuses to put it off. So now that I’m finally getting around to this long-awaited project, I’d thought I should document its construction. At first I thought about filming it, like the way my favorite Youtube woodworkers do. But my medium has never really been film. It’s always been the written word and trying to break into video production with such a large project was not realistic. I might do it someday, but for now I thought I’d just document my project here with a few pictures and captions.
THE CONCEPT:
My house is a bi-level home with what are called knee-walls on the lower level. These are short walls built on top of a concrete foundation wall. The concrete portion juts into the room more than the upper section forming an odd, shallow shelf along the length of the wall, usually at the three-foot mark. It looks odd and makes the room feel more like a basement than a family room. So my plan was to hide the ledge by turning it into a series of shallow cabinets. Then on top of those cabinets I planned to build bookshelves making the entire wall look like a built-in breakfront. There will be an empty section in the middle of the bookshelves where the flat screen TV will hang.
The first thing I did was measure the walls in my living room to get an idea how large an area I had to work with. It was quite big, almost 12 feet long and just under 8 feet tall. Then like all good geeks do, it was off to the computer to draw up a set of plans.
And not just any plans.
I spent a weekend or two refining my ideas to until I came up with a three-dimensional model in Sketchup that you can see above. It may look complicated, but this project really calls for nothing more than building a series of boxes at different sizes and connecting them.
Then, just because I could, I decided to take a quick cellphone picture of the area these shelves will occupy and though the magic of Photoshop merged the plan with the picture to give me an idea of what they’d look like in place. You can see that at right.
THE BUILD BEGINS:
With the plan in place, and after hemming and hawing over the type of plywood to use for the two base cabinets (they will be covered by solid cherry doors), I made my way to the big box store to pickup the material. The parts from both cabinets came from a sheet and a half of 3/4” birch plywood with the backs coming from a sheet of 1/4” plywood.
 |
| Here you can see me loading the material into my new car. It’s amazing what you can fit into a hatchback! |
Then it was back to the shop to start breaking the material down to its individual parts:
Here are all the individual parts for both cabinets which were cut from the pieces you saw me load into my car: two tops and bottoms, four sides, two backs and four shelves.
Okay, I kind of
cheated here. I had some extra plywood at home and cut them into 3 ½”
strips to form the bases each cabinet will sit on.
Here’s one of the cabinets dry-fitted together. If you look closely, you can see the rabbet running around the edges of each piece for the back. The shelves are not permanent. There will be holes along each side so I can adjust them. They were just placed in there to verify I had cut to the correct size.
Before assembly, I decided it would be easier to stain each part lying flat on my workbench rather than trying to stain parts that were standing vertically or hanging down and would avoid finish either not getting all the way into corners or pooling there.
The problem with doing things this way, is that there were so many parts, that it took up BOTH bays of my garage workshop for a week. Mrs. BlueScream wasn’t really happy about that as she has this odd idea that garages are for parking cars in and NOT for workshops. Silly, Mrs. BlueScream…..
With the parts finally stained and sealed with three-coats of polyurethane, I was finally able to start gluing the cabinets together and staining the shelves.
Next month, I hope to have the center stereo equipment cabinet together and in place in the house. Then I’ll be able to start on the face frames and doors. I’ll keep you updated!
Sunday, April 29, 2018
Not may must-see movies making my summer viewing list
And if those lazy, hazy crazy days of summer aren’t enough to lift my spirits all by themselves, then I’m trusting that this summer’s latest round of blockbusters will.
The only problem is, I just saw this lineup of genre movies coming out between now and Labor Day, and I’m underwhelmed. Usually after reading it, I have an impossibly long list of films I want to see, knowing that I’ll be lucky to go to half of them before they leave the theater.
But not this year.
Out of the 33 due out, here are the only seven I’m dying to see:
Avengers: Infinity War
I was never much of a comics book fan as a kid, but I have to say I love what Marvel has done with their superhero movie-verse. To me these flicks are the perfect summer entertainment: They are fun, have great, likable characters and are an action-packed, 2-hour roller-coaster ride. Yeah after the movie ends and you start thinking about it, the plot holes become super evident (see what I did there?) but while you’re watching you barely have time to catch your breath.
The movie opens this weekend, but unfortunately, I’m on call, so won’t be able to see it until the following weekend, so NO ONE BETTER SPOIL THIS FOR ME!!!!
Deadpool 2
I just got around to seeing the first “Deadpool” movie on TV last weekend, and really liked the snarkiness of this fourth-wall breaking anti-hero. It’s clear this character and the movies featuring him don’t take themselves seriously and that’s something I need to start learning how to do.
I’ve been so uptight lately, that I’ve been stressing myself out. I need to remember how to relax and not take everything so seriously and I’m hoping Deadpool and his “friends” will remind me how to do that. And with this movie coming out on May 18, the weekend before I start another new job, I’d say the timing couldn’t be better.
How to Talk to Girls at Parties
I didn’t know about this one until I saw it listed in the web article I referenced above. But after reading the description, I was in!
First, it’s based on a story by acclaimed sci-fi author Neil Gaiman ("Sandman," "American Gods," "Babylon 5: Day of the Dead" and "Doctor Who: The Doctor's Wife") so you know it has got to be good. Secondly, its plot about a bunch of boys in 1970s London trying to pick up girls who are more than they appear, is a theme a lot of us male geeks who grew up in the late '70s and '80s can relate to. I mean, if you were one of us, go ahead and tell me you didn’t think that girls (especially the ones you wanted to date) weren’t really aliens from another planet at least once!
I think of all the movies I want to see this year, I’ll have the least trouble of convincing Mrs. BlueScream to see this one, which opens May 25. She’s a big Anglophile and appreciates the music of that era.
Solo: A Star Wars Story
As a “Star Wars” fan, I’m contractually obligated to see this one. I mean it’s about everyone’s favorite smuggler and rogue, Han, frickin Solo!
What more needs to be said, other than this HAS to be good or else there are going to be geeks rioting across the world come May 25!
Incredibles 2
Of all the films on this list, I’m the most nervous about this one. The first movie, which was released 14 years ago, was so good because it knew how to pay homage and parody both the then long-dead superhero movie genre and James Bond-style evil mastermind flick. Now in a world where superhero movies are almost de rigueur, I don’t know if it will hold up.
Despite my trepidations, I’m anxiously awaiting June 15, when I can see this one with my friend Tim and his family. My friends and I often kid him that he and his family are The Incredibles.
Ant-Man and the Wasp
Yup another Marvel Superhero flick I’ll probably need to drag Mrs. BlueScream to. Luckily for me she’s very understanding of my compulsion to see all these silly super-hero films. Besides, how else am I supposed to know what’s going to happen in the Marvel universe post “Avengers: Infinity War” if I don’t see the Easter Egg at the end of this film???
Opens July 6.
Christopher Robin
Again, not the type of movie, I’d normally want to go see, but I added it to the list for Mrs. BlueScream. While it doesn’t involve her favorite stuffed animal (Paddington Bear), I think she’ll like this movie, opening Aug 3, which finds Winnie the Pooh and his friends hunting down a grown-up Christopher Robin when his life starts crumbling down around him.
With only these seven on my list, I should be able to see them all and I’m just keeping my fingers crossed they are all as good as they sound.
Sunday, March 25, 2018
Goodbye and good riddance, Stephen Hawking
This isn’t going to be one of my typical in memoriam essays on the recent death of a well-known figure in the science, technology and/or sci-fi/fantasy worlds.
Quite the opposite.
It’ll be more of a dark rant about the death of Stephen Hawking, suggesting that maybe the esteemed theoretical physicist, cosmologist and author lived a bit too long.
Now before you jump all over me for saying that, let me make clear that I have nothing but admiration for the man whose theories about cosmology were as revolutionary to modern science as the discoveries of Albert Einstein or even Isaac Newton. In fact, I have the utmost respect for everything he accomplished and am awed by the fact that he did it despite being afflicted with a rare, early-onset form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, (“ALS", or Lou Gehrig's disease), that left him practically paralyzed.
Like Carl Sagan, another “rock-star” scientist did some 38 years ago with his ground-breaking TV mini-series, “Cosmos,” Hawking made science cool and penned the one of the best-selling books of all time, “A Brief History of Time.” According to Time Magazine, the book, which explores profound questions about how the universe began, how it might end, the nature of time and does it in a non-technical way, has sold over 10 million copies world-wide since it was published in 1988. And like Sagan, he even became something of a pop-culture icon, making cameos on such popular TV shows as “The Simpsons,” “The Big Bang Theory” and “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” He was even featured in in a big Hollywood biopic, “The Theory of Everything” starring two of today’s hottest A-listers, Eddie Redmayne (“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”) and Felicity Jones (“Rogue One”).
Had Hawking continued to live there is no telling what else his genius and insight might have told us about the universe in which we all live and how it works. The only problem is, that not only do I think no one would have cared, but his discoveries would have constantly been attacked by self-proclaimed “experts” whose scientific expertise is limited to the high school physics class they slept through. And I think THAT would have killed him in a slower and crueler way than the ALS which eventually took him from us.So yes, I’m glad Steven Hawking is gone, because we no longer live in a world that values science nor the opinions of the thousands of men and women who devote their lives to the study of physics, medicine, geology, biology, meteorology or any of the other “ologies” out there. All we seem to care about is rantings of Twitter twits, social media morons and TV and radio ideologues who think they have a better understanding of science than the people who have spent years studying in those particular fields.
To them “facts” are flexible and there and only meant to fit their own theories, instead of the other way around. They also believe in “alternate truths,” which we all used to rightfully call LIES when I was younger and the world seemed a bit saner.
If it seems like I’m laying all the blame at the feet of these people, I’m not. As a staunch defender of the First Amendment, I stand by their right to spout their garbage even though I thoroughly disagree with them.
Who I’m really angry at is YOU – and everyone else who listens to these know-nothings. You have given credibility to people who in the past would have been dismissed as crazy conspiracy theorists or extremist who are out-of-touch with the mainstream.
But we’re listening to them now and taking their opinions as gospel because we suddenly only want to hear from people who will echo our own often darkest beliefs. We want to live in an echo-chamber where we are constantly being told we are right, instead of challenging ourselves and perhaps learning something new along the way. We’ve become less and less tolerant of anybody who doesn’t share our world view, and when confronted by facts which run contrary to our long-held beliefs, we lash out like little kids and call our confronters all sorts of derogatory names and claim their facts are wrong or biased despite the fact they’ve been scientifically proven/accepted for decades.
As a younger man I always though the future would bring enlightenment and scientific advancement that would solve the world’s problem’s. Now I fear that we are moving towards the type of futuristic dystopias featured in such popular sci-fi stories as “Brave New World,” "1984," “Brazil,” “The Hunger Games,” “Divergent” and “The Handmaid's Tale.”
So, Steven, I’m glad you’ve left us.
Hopefully you’re in a better and brighter place. One that still values reason and science over ego and hubris.
Sunday, February 25, 2018
Cyber Insecurity
Remember the “good old days” when cyber security just meant having a hard-to-guess password that you changed every few months and an up-to-date anti-virus program running on your computer?
Those were the days, weren’t they?
But with the increasing prevalence of cyber criminals hacking their ways into computer systems to steal our personal data, or encrypting our files so we can’t access them until we pay a ransom, those old defenses are about as good as a rusty padlock on a screen door.
Keeping ourselves and our data safe now means we all need to take a more active role to ward off these attacks. It means we need to be vigilant about updating and patching all the software we use on our devices to close off newly discovered flaws criminals can exploit. It means adopting two-factor authentication, where you have to enter more than just your password, but a constantly changing code generated by another device that only you have. It also means being constantly suspicious of any request – electronic or otherwise – asking us to divulge personal info like social security numbers and passwords.
In today’s connected world, you should feel paranoid, because the world really is out to get you.
The problem with all this is that it’s very time consuming and practically a full-time job. Not many of us – IT folks included—always do it. And to make matters worse there is a new threat looming on the horizon.
And this time it has nothing to do that computer or laptop on your desk, the tablet in your lap or that smart phone in your pocket.
This time the threat can be coming from that innocuous thermostat on your wall, or your TV, or your refrigerator, or wireless security camera/doorbell or even that band-new crockpot on your counter!
All these “smart” devices, collectively called the “Internet of Things,” that we are bringing into our homes to automate them, is opening us up to a new venue for cyber criminals to attack.
Now, I know what you are thinking.
“So what if some hacker breaks into my fridge? What the worst they can do? Run me out of milk?”
If only.
That smart refrigerator probably has your credit card information stored in it, so you can re-order that milk and that’s the first thing cyber crooks are going to look for. They know that that information will probably be less protected in a refrigerator device then it would be elsewhere, making it an easy target for them to steal.
And that smart thermostat on your wall?
Imagine a hacker gaining control of that and waiting until the coldest day of year to shut off your heat until you pay them a huge random?
Think that’s unlikely? Think again. Take a look at these results I got when I did a quick search on this topic: nest wireless thermostat hackable
Even if all you have is a smart crockpot – and for the life of me, I don’t understand why anyone would want such a thing – you are still vulnerable. Because once a hacker breaks into that, they are then inside the proverbial castle walls, and now that they’ve bypassed all your external defenses, they are free to wander your electronic hallways, which are less well defended, until they can find and break into your treasure vault.
So what can we do about this new threat?
First and foremost is to always be aware of the potential threats these new devices can bring. Do your homework. Find out what kind of security that shiny new gadget has built into it. Is it strong or easily defeatable? Can it be updated? Does the manufacturer regularly release patches and software updates? How easy is it to update? Also do a Google search on that device to find out if it’s been hacked before or how easily it could be hacked.
If you don’t like any of the answers, don’t get it. And if you do decide to buy one of these devices, then the first thing you should do no matter what is change default password that comes with it.
After that, download and install the most up-to-date firmware.
Even after doing all this, don’t get complacent. You should regularly check for security updates and install them.
The final step?
Start pressuring the government and manufactures alike to make security for these devices a top priority instead of just an afterthought.
Sunday, January 28, 2018
Just screw it
 |
| Even Nancy Reagan knew better than to use pocket screws to make “heirloom” or “fine furniture” projects. |
As I alluded to last month, I’ve been in sort of a funk lately and have lacked the motivation to do pretty much everything.
I’d blame it on the recent frigid weather that’s blanketed the Northeast, but even if temperatures had
been above single digits, I still don’t think I’d be doing much more than I’m doing now. Curling up under the covers and watching YouTube woodworking videos.
Aside from being entertaining, they’re usually pretty informative and I usually pick up a tip or two to try out in my own projects when the weather gets warmer.
Not this year, though. Lately I’ve been growling at screen and yelling at my woodworking buddies like an old man shaking his fist at the neighborhood kids telling them to stay off his lawn.
So what have these woodworkers and makers done to bring out my inner curmudgeon?
 |
I have the Kreg pocket screw jig and have used it on many a project.
But it should not be used to replace other joinery methods on certain
projects because while it is quicker to make, it's a weaker joint. |
Pocket Screws.
I’m not against their use. Like any other tool or technique, they have their time and place. I've even used them from time-to-time. So why have they now raised my ire?
Because many of the makers I follow online are using them way too much as shortcuts.
Look, I get it.
For some of them, building projects and putting out weekly videos is how they earn their
livings. Time is, after all, money and using pocket screws to assemble a project certainly speeds things up.
But I still think it’s a cheat.
Pocket hole joinery, as it is called, is a pretty weak joint. Just ask Matthias Wandel, an engineer by
training and a genius woodworker who makes his own power tools often out of scrap wood and other
“found” objects. He’s famously railed against their use, and even produced a video or two comparing
their strength against other joinery types.
Even the simpler dado and rabbet joint, which are essentially notches or channels cut into the center or edge of a board, are stronger than one put together with pocket screws. They also don’t really take that much longer to make, hence my ire.
I’m not saying they should never be used for a project. They are fine for things that need to be slapped together fast, like storage shelves, boxes or bins for a garage, shed or basement. But for those
“heirloom” or “fine furniture” projects they should be avoided.
Typically, you are going to put a lot of time and effort into making these pieces special, so why cut
corners, especially if it won’t save you that much time and it weakens the strength of the project?
Yes, pocket hole screws can be a good option for things like face and dust frames which are not
structural, and yes they are useful for those with limited tools. But they should never be used as a “goto” joint, and if they are used it should always be explained there is a better way to do that joint.
Like it or not, YouTube makers are educators, and they should be teaching those who want to take up
the craft the proper way of doing things, instead of just basically saying “Screw it!”
Sunday, December 24, 2017
Holiday Jeer
The winter holidays are supposed to be filled with excitement, cheer, happiness, good-will-to-all-men, and all that other shtick.
But this year, I'm just not feeling it.
It would be easy to chalk it up to all the stress in my life recently: a new job that radically changed my daily routine, household appliances and furniture that have suddenly decided to start breaking, and illnesses in the family.
Yup, 2017 has been quite the eventful year, and not always in a good way.
But the truth of the matter is that it's not the stress. I've been feeling this way for a while.
I'm not quite at the point yet where I'm Bah-humbugging everyone who wishes me a Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah and New Year. It's just that this time of year doesn't seem "feel" the same way it used to.
Yes, I'm Jewish, and don't celebrate Christmas, but I used to enjoy the season. All the decorations, excitement and anticipation in the air was truly contagious. Only now I just don't feel it anymore.
Okay, I admit it. A good part of that was about gifts: looking forward to getting the toy, gadget or tool, I really wanted or couldn’t afford. There was even a certain thrill that came from the last-minute rush of trying to find that "perfect" affordable gift for someone else.
But over the last couple of years, I haven't felt any of that.
When my wife or others have asked me what I wanted for the holidays (or my birthday for that matter), I’ve been answering "I don't know."
Maybe it's because I've finally reached a point in my life where I'm earning enough money to splurge on those "toys" that I used to lust after. Case in point is the large screen TV I just bought for myself and wrote about last month.
Of course, I could try putting off those purchases, to see if the anticipation of getting them as a gift would return some of the "old magic" to the holiday season.
But I doubt it.
You see many of the things I want -- like my 25 x 25 workshop -- are way too expensive for anyone to get me as a gift. And now that I'm able to afford many of the things I want (except that workshop), putting off their purchase for several months just to try to regain a fleeting feeling at the end of the year seems pointless, especially if it's for a project I want to work on right away.
The other irony I noticed as of late, is that while I can now afford all the stuff I used to want when I was younger, I realize that I don't need it. I have enough things and aside for trying to find the room to store that new item, I've come to realize that the stuff I do have is sufficient for my current needs. In fact, lately I feel like I have too much stuff and need to get rid of some of it.
Yup, looks like despite my best efforts, I've finally become an adult, and have realized the season is not about getting presents but giving them. Only getting things for others, no longer seems as exciting as it used to.
I'd like to think that online shopping has made the process too easy and less social. There's no need to go out and mingle with hundreds of other excited shoppers when you can finish all your holiday shopping in 15 minutes on Amazon.com and not have to leave the comfort of your own sofa. Then there's the fact that everyone and their brother just wants gift-cards.
Don't get me wrong. I understand they allow the gift-getter to go out and buy exactly what he or she wants, instead of receiving something that’s not-quite what they desired. But it seems so impersonal....
Sigh...
Maybe the holidays are just supposed to be for the young and once you've reached a certain age you're not supposed to enjoy them as much anymore.
That's kind of a profound thought to have on Christmas Eve.
Yet when all is said and done, it's not exactly a sad one.
I may not be feeling jolly as of late, but I am content with what I do have: my health, a loving family and good friends. I also do kind of look forward to spending a peaceful, quiet evening at home. While my wife’s away celebrating the holiday with her family, I plan to spend my evening on the couch, with my dog at my feet and Chinese takeout in my hand, watching the "Star Wars" movies I got for Chanukah and hoping to avoid a few late-night visits from three very unruly spirits.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)