Doc's Place

Does that read too much like a scare headline from the Far Left?  It isn't.  Wired News online reports that the US Air Force itself has made it.  In an April 13, 2008 article by Noah Schachtman, it is stated that:

The Air Force wants a suite of hacker tools, to give it "access" to -- and "full control" of -- any kind of computer there is.  And once the info warriors are in, the Air Force wants them to keep tabs on their "adversaries' information infrastructure completely undetected."

The US Air Force Cyber Command is already being developed.  Its website has many articles, pictures, FAQ's, and a countdown timer to "phase one stand up" on October 1, 2008. 

I have included links to both the Wired article and to the Air Force website to allow readers to judge for themselves where we are headed.  Most of my regular readers know that I border on the paranoid in my responses to be watched by recording cameras at stoplights, at toll road transponder lanes, and on our streets and intersections.  I strongly object to being listened to, phone tapped, having my mail read, or just generally being observed in any manner unless someone has reason to believe I am committing a crime or am planning one.

On the other side of this topic, I want my government to protect me - from criminals, from street muggers to multi-national corporate muggers, from enemies foreign and domestic, to preserve our constitution, and defend our land.  I appreciate the brave people in the military services and in the public sectors who serve us and take care of us so well and who we too often take for granted. 

At a deeply frightened level, I know that a current "World War III" would be fought like no other.  China has demonstrated to us their ability to blind and disorient our spy and navigation satellites by shooting down one of their own.  In turn, our "accidental" transport of six W80-1 variable yield live nuclear warheads From Minot AFB in ND to Barksdale AFB in LA was given much more publicity than I would expect any military organization to allow the media.  I do not see these incidents as unique, or even highly significant in the bigger picture, of which the public sees only tiny fragments through a glass, darkly.  If an enemy had unfettered access to any of the Internets or grids that control our distribution of electricity, natural gas, vehicle fuel, traffic and transportation flow, food and water distribution, public and military communications, financial tractions (commercial, investment, and banking,) ... well, you get the picture.  Our nation would be brought to its knees in a grinding, chaotic halt.  In a much more localized manner, the electromagnetic pulse (EMP) of a conventional atomic weapon or an "E-Bomb" destroys MOSFETs, FETs, transistors, and the like if not Faraday shielded, thus disabling electronic devices in the area of the explosion.  The government and Military knows this in infinitely greater detail than do I. 

On a personal, much less significant level, I have been affected wrongly by the same type of capabilities as are needed to defend our nation.  I sold a car to a friend who ran through four "I-Pass" toll stops without paying.  I received a ticket for four infractions, complete with a very clear picture of the back of the car with my plates still on it, and a statement that not being the driver was no excuse for not paying the tickets.  In another incident, Medicare gave the Veterans Health Administration all of my personal and business information (including SSN, EIN, bank routing numbers, addresses, etc.) without any notification to me.  I found this out when the VHA notified me that a portable hard drive with this information on it was missing.  At least they had the decency to notify me and provide for one year of credit fraud alerts.  I have no doubt that, despite the precautions I take personally, this type of information has been lost, discarded, or stolen far more times than I am aware.  As a simple example of the laxity of transactions in the area of credit, I have written "Require Photo ID" on all my cards, along with my signature.  It has been checked only once in approximately 10 years.

So what do we do and where do we go with this sort of information?  I honestly do not know.  The same technology that protects us can destroy us.  The same types of devices that allow surveillance of criminals, terrorists, and enemy actions are easily able to be turned on a country's own law abiding citizens.  It is, after all, so very much easier to listen in on our own cell phone conversations and take pictures of our own license plates than it is to definitely identify what is happening in an enemy's hardened military site or know if a satellite is armed and has military capabilities.

*sigh*

Peace, Doc

Copyright © 2008, Thomas A. Blood Ph.D.

"We realize our dilemma goes deeper than shortage of time; it is basically a problem of priorities. We confess, We have left undone those things that ought to have done; and we have done those things which we ought not to have done." - Charles E. Hummel

This post is not about the Village of Elburn Illinois.  It is not about the Mayor's Blog, not about Building and Zoning, not about the Staff Directory, or even Living in Elburn.  Most especially, it is not about the Elburn Police Department which sets up speed traps enforcement zones on IL Route 38 or Route 47.

What is it about, then?  It is about my plans for arranging the various antiques, furniture, oriental rugs, book cases and books, pillows, lamps, roll top desks, and other items such that they do not look worse than the piles of boxes and plastic containers that they are now replacing.  How does one display an antique Leitz Wetzlar black and brass microscope, a current flat panel TV, assorted wooden model boats, brass candlesticks, a working 1940's radio, three metal U-Needa Biscuit boxes, a small Waterford table lamp, along with a modern 12 foot sofa, drop-leaf coffee table, and monster leather recliner chair and make it "work."  Oh, yes.  I forgot to mention the antique three-wood oriental triptych style mirror I acquired yesterday. 

As a male who is visually oriented and a linear thinker, I would likely try to fit everything against a wall and fill every flat surface with important "stuff."  My main concerns would be which floor lamp should be placed next to the recliner, which rug should line up squarely with what other large thing, and now, where to hang the three paneled mirror.  I have found out within the past six hours that this is not to be.  I have gotten to be quite good friends with the couple downstairs despite the 3:00 a.m. cat crazies during which The Boys chase each other around the apartment at full speed and at top decibel level until they tire of it.  I am very thankful that they are animal lovers, and especially that The Boys are on their best behavior and are extremely friendly when these neighbors visit.  I believe that it is clear to the cat people, and to the people people, that we all like each other.  Bittle even managed to acquire a particularly comfortable flannel shirt during one of their visits.

Now, onward to the part of this experience about which I am both thrilled and a bit frightened.  In addition to one spouse being the assistant manager of the apartment complex, one has been a professional interior decorator for a number of years in the past, both for corporations and for individuals.  I have been informed that they both have a day off Wednesday and that "we" are going to decorate!  I have no belief whatsoever that this will be limited to moving only the microscope or the dealer showroom model of a 1953 Plymouth station wagon.  I know both that the result will be wonderful and also that I will be well beyond my usual state of anxiety for the next two days.

Peace, Doc

Copyright © 2008, Thomas A. Blood, Ph.D.

"What you have become is the price you paid to get what you used to want." - Mignon McLaughlin, The Neurotic's Notebook, 1960

~

Mother died - I live

Mothers gave me all

Mother last is gone

~

Many hands held me

Mother Earth caresses them

More than I can do

~

Preserve memories

Heritage and legacy

Offspring then may know

~

Peace, Doc

Copyright © 2008, Thomas A. Blood, Ph.D.

It should.  I've had over six months to make it that way.  I believe that I am much better at planning how things should be done than actually doing them.  I've been slowly working away at all the sorting, pitching, donating, giving away, and repressing "stuff" that I only accomplished minimal things.  "Ah, that (insert odd thing here) should be in the (insert semi-appropriate room here.)"  And I'd take it there, usually bringing something from room number two back to room number one, if appropriate.  The piles were very slowly receding in the living room and the dining area, but I felt no real pressure to rush.  I thought that about a year seemed to be a reasonable goal to set for myself.

That was until I received the notice from the apartment complex management that "the inspection" was to occur Thursday at 10:30 a.m.  I quickly started carrying more than one thing from room to room in my wanderings.  When that didn't seem to be working quickly enough I tried armloads, with possible multiple destinations.  "Stuff" was no longer being sorted neatly into appropriately sized boxes and compulsively labeled as to the exact contents.  By Tuesday I was feeling more than a hint of anxiety that I might be requested to go away, even though my rent checks had been willingly accepted up to that point.  By very early Wednesday morning I realized that going into warp drive would be necessary.  I remained in that state for 32 hours straight and, other than a few minor incidents (knee going out of joint repeatedly, disc and back ailments hurting more by the hour, frightening the cats with my flurry of activity, carting boxes to the dumpster at 2:00 a.m., etc.) made excellent use of my time.  Four rooms/areas looked just as they were supposed to, did not smell of cat activities, had the furniture and area rugs arranged, and there was only one room, the door to which could not be opened.  Yes, I used the correct words, could not, not should not.  I believe that the vacuum cleaner tipped over against it when I was hiding storing it appropriately.  Thankfully, no cats were trapped or harmed in the process.  I even had almost 10 minutes to shower before the manager and the maintenance man arrived.  I was fearful that I might have to answer the door in my underpants, but I was rewarded for my frantic efforts by being able to finish dressing.

When the Gestapo my guests arrived, I was ever so helpful, relating that I had already changed one of the sensor batteries about three weeks ago, offering a chair to stand on rather than have the maintenance man leave to get a ladder, and easily relating to the male sorts of things.  I had to resort to a bit more trickery and misdirection with the manager, however.  As I could not allow certain closet or room doors to be opened, I offered her Stinky (in one of his most loveable poses) to be petted, showed her the corner that had the collection of my grandfather's medical bag, contents, black and brass antique microscope, my newly framed picture of my mother, and anything else I could think of.  I even gave her an open hanging file rack for the complex office.  I not only passed, using this "treachery and deceit" approach, but was complimented on how nice things looked.  Truthfully, it actually does look pretty good and will look even better now that I have seen the possibilities of moving a few things around to delimit the living room and leave the largest wall in the entire apartment free to decorate as I wish. 

I do so hope that the unsettling sound of "stuff" settling in the room behind the door which cannot be opened will stop soon.  For the nonce, I have taken enough medication for my back pain that I probably do not yet fully realize the enormity of the tasks awaiting me behind "that door."

Peace, Doc

Copyright © 2008, Thomas A. Blood, Ph.D.

Happy Mothers' Day to all out there in blogland to whom that wish is appropriate.

While cleaning, sorting papers, and generally avoiding washing the dishes, I happened to run across some poetry I wrote somewhen between 1964 and 1968.  It was upsetting.  I was better at it then!  Ah, well.  I'll pull the old memory loss trick and tell you I must have only saved the best.  Yes, that's the ticket.

A Happier Time

The image of a star-lit night

Embossed upon my heart

Calls to mind the other times

When we were not apart

A fullness of life remembered

A depth of love untold

Memories remain with me

More precious now than gold

When I see that poem now, remembering Annie's death three years ago, I feel the hairs on the back of my neck standing out.  Surely I could not then have seen what would occur nearly 40 years in the future.  Or could I?  I suspect that it is more related to my lifelong fear of abandonment than it is to what a 20 year old predicted would happen in his life.  But they might well have been the same.

Some of the haiku I found even resembled the true spirit and intent of the form better than those which I now compose.

~

In a great city

I saw a blind man sitting

And I felt deprived

~

The thing - perfection

Hovering beyond our reach

Still we try to grasp

~

Whispering breezes

Arousing the sleeping earth

In the pre-dawn glow

~

Paths of particles

Shortly running parallel

Diverging at length 

~

There were more, but I think that these are a sufficient number to inflict upon my readers in a single post.  Or perhaps upon myself.  I'll now quit stalling on the dishes, and neaten up the place a bit more.  As friendly and accepting of my eccentricities as they are, I don't believe that the downstairs neighbors would appreciate my good intentions if they include vacuuming at 4:00 a.m., however.

Peace, Doc

Copyright © 2008, Thomas A. Blood, Ph.D.

"Youth gets together with their materials to build a bridge to the moon or maybe a palace on earth; then in middle age they decide to build a woodshed with them instead." - Henry David Thoreau

Although I hold fairly strong political views, I hardly ever mention them in this blog.  Politics and religion tend to be quite important topics for most people and seem to me to be far too easy to be either misunderstood or to be understood exactly when written about.  Today I bring you a simple quiz from newsletter I receive from a very neutral and politically passive group (MoveOn.Org) which determines your ability to differentiate the views and actions of President George Bush and Senator John McCain.

"Dear MoveOn member,

On Friday, we launched The Bush-McCain Challenge—a fun new online game. The reaction has been AMAZING. 300,000 people have already played, and most of them aren't even MoveOn members!

The Challenge is simple—you just have to tell the difference between Bush and McCain. It's trickier (and more fun) than you'd think! ...

Start the Bush-McCain Challenge by clicking here:  http://www.Bush-McCainChallenge.com/

... McCain's close ties to Bush are his biggest liability, and the Challenge is a great way to spread the word that there's not much difference between them.

So enjoy and share!

Thanks for all you do.

–Noah, Karin, Lenore, Daniel, and the MoveOn.org Political Action Team
  Tuesday, May 6th, 2008"

Be sure to stick with this lengthy quiz (five items) to get to the bonus questions.

Peace, Doc

Copyright © 2008, Thomas A. Blood, Ph.D.

"It's clearly a budget. It's got a lot of numbers in it." - George W. Bush

Well, the post about reality really got a diversity of comments, opinions, and observations.  I saw philosophy, psychology, theology, spirituality, teleology, cosmology, dreams, alternate and/or coexisting realities, truth, the unattainable Platonic ideal, single entity dictatorship (some call that being a Republican) and mob-rule (others call that democracy or being a Democrat,) commenting simultaneously on each other's spaces being spoooooky, a belief that what is, is, and a wonderfully cryptic comment about cheese.  This is very clearly a topic that I will follow up with further posts.  Although the comments are all related to reality, they take such differing perspectives that I'm not at all certain that I posed the question correctly.  Just to take that piece of rose quartz as an example, is it real even if nobody anywhere is consciously perceiving it?  Does "something" have to be perceived by a conscious intelligence to be real or a part of reality?  If it has no sentience, is it real to itself or to another aspect of reality?

This is a slightly strange question, but if Puzzle drops by again,would she please tell me how many syllables there are in Oberammergauralpenkrauterdelikatessenfruhstuckskase, which, as coincidence would have it, is a type of German cheese.  If it isn't 17, is there another word that means the same thing that does have 17 syllables?  Many of you will immediately recognize my secret reason for asking that question, but I won't tell others, just so they might drop back to find out the answer.

It's a good thing that these are musings.  I don't have to stay on topic and that's getting a little difficult at 5:15 a.m.  I also have the excuse of becoming a bit looser in my thoughts with sleepiness as I age.

In the previous post, I used an example of breaking a Waterford crystal bowl.  It was being used as my cats' water bowl.  Pampered.  I went out to my local "everything-store" yesterday evening and found a glue specifically formulated for mending glass.  The makers claim that when it cures properly, one cannot see the break lines and that the repaired object can be cleaned in a dishwasher (not that I have one here.)  I approve of that for two reasons.  I really like the bowl and, being lead crystal, it broke very cleanly which should make it much easier to repair.  Even though it loses its resale value, its beauty will continue to exist, in my reality, and that will please me when I look at it.  Secondly, Bittle and Stinky were pissed off at me for putting their water in an ordinary cat bowl.

With another hop and a skip along the space-time continuum, I will warn "No Name" to knock off the "If you have bought (WoW) gold from others before ... " spamming that you have been doing all over my site, I will attempt to do bad things to you.  I have been successful in doing these bad things to others in the past.  "Nuff said.

While out shopping, I also bought a cartridge of labeling tape such that I can now place little signs on the neater an