A TV in Every Room? Just Say No

Chris Pirillo of Lockergnome recently stated the following:

The effects of television today cannot be easily summed up as simply good or bad. The viewing of television is more than the subject matter viewed. The loss of time to do other things can be more the problem. Time to view television grows larger with each year of life in the age of the cathode ray tube and liquid crystal screen.

I agree. The amount of time that people spend in front of the television is incredible.

But the days of the family gathering in front of the TV with a bowl of popcorn to watch a show are long gone. These days there seems to be a TV in every room, and everyone goes to their own space in the house to watch their favorite show.

How sad.

I must admit that my house has two TVs. I love TV, and so does everyone in my family. Sometimes the convenience of two TVs is helpful to retain peace in the household.

However, my children will never have a TV in their bedroom. My wife and I just don't think that it's healthy. We would rather see them playing outside or spending their TV time with us watching shows as a family.

I think that we are fairly typical in our viewing habits. We all enjoy various sitcoms, cartoons, game shows. Who doesn't?

However, much of the TV that we watch is educational. My 8 year old daughter is a huge fan of This Old House, Trading Spaces, the History channel, and Discovery.

We enjoy watching those shows together and have all learned something from them. How else would we have found out that T-Rex was a scavenger and not the ferocious hunter of Jurassic Park fame?

I agree with Chris Pirillo that TV has sapped much of the time that we used to spend doing hobbies or talking with others.

With judicious use, however, it does not have to become the mind-numbing, isolationist activity that it has become.

The TV can be an interesting educational supplement and an enjoyable family activity.

Do you really need a TV in every room?

I don't think so.

University Threats Are Not Funny

Is this a joke?

"I think you should kill some of those asses . . . or better, let loose the walshman on their asses!! I'll kill em!" Andrew Walsh wrote from his Facebook profile, which included a photograph of a young man brandishing a large gun.

"We'll call a general SA meeting in Bolton 150 . . . then when everyone's seated . . . we'll lock the doors and out pop my guys with HK mp5's . . . and we'll take care of em! Hahahahahaha."

As an adult student at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, this is no joke.

However, a college education apparently doesn’t equate to common sense. At least not to UWM graduate Andrew Walsh who posted these statements on a friend’s Facebook page.

Hello, McFly. Is anybody home in there?

Thankfully, this was in fact a joke. But university officials, campus police and the Federal Joint Task Force on Terrorism took this threat seriously and ensured the safety of the students and faculty.

In light of the recent shootings at Virginia Tech, just about anyone with an ounce of common sense would realize that this isn’t funny.

Sarcasm, satire and other types of humor are extremely difficult to portray online when key elements of humor such as vocal inflections and facial expressions cannot be conveyed.

Even professional writers struggle with this battle. Just look at how often someone takes a story in The Onion seriously.

Just because you think that your writing or online posting is funny does not mean that others will interpret it as humorous rhetoric.

Sometimes a little common sense and a pause before that final click can avoid a serious misunderstanding.

Isnt’ that right, McFly…..er…..Mr. Walsh?

Save Your iPod from Windows Vista

Do you have an iPod that is connected to a PC running Windows Vista? If so, you should ensure that you download the following patch to prevent your iPod from being corrupted.

I still think that it is quite ironic that the iPod can be corrupted after the "Safely Remove Hardware" message was displayed.

It's also somewhat ironic that Microsoft and Apple partnered to develop the fix, especially since the iPod is a direct competitor with the Zune.

Times sure are changing.

$1,500 Keyboard is Crazy

Talk about crazy!

Set to debut in November, the Optimus Maximus is a very cool dynamic keyboard that allows you to change the symbol on each key of the keyboard because each key contains a 36 x 36 pixel display.

The $1,500 price tag is ridiculous in an era when almost all keyboards are cheaply made and disposable.

Spilling a soda on that new keyboard could be a very costly mistake, indeed.

While I generally like the idea, that price tag is just too much to get over. What's next, a $1,000 mouse that lets you display a picture on the front?

Hey, now that's not a bad idea.

Bill Gates, Be A Hero

In a case that smacks of McCarthyism, Russian headmaster Alexander Ponosov has been found guilty of using 12 illegal copies of Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office on his school’s computers.

Have the Russian authorities lost their mind?

In a world where gangs of hackers steal millions of dollars of software each year, this teacher is being prosecuted for allegedly stealing software worth approximately 5,000 rubles, or $194 American dollars.

What a joke.

In a previous Tech Free Press posting, I urged Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates to be a hero and intercede on Ponosov’s behalf. Instead, Microsoft issued the following statement:

"Our interest is not in prosecuting schools or teachers, it is in helping students develop the technology skills they need in the 21st century. Mr. Ponosov's case was initiated by Russian authorities under Russian law. Microsoft neither initiated nor has any plans to bring any action against Mr. Ponosov," Microsoft said.

Surprisingly, Uncle Bill didn’t listen to my recommendation back in February. Maybe now that readership of this blog has increased to nearly 70 readers per day he’ll realize that my opinion matters more.

Then again, he does own the majority interest in the largest software company currently in existence and has more lawyers than I have readers.

I have to do something about that!

Perhaps an e-mail to Mark Cuban would help. He may not get as much credit for philanthropy as Bill Gates, but Cuban knows how to shake things up when it really matters.

To be fair to Bill Gates and Microsoft, Ponosov brought some of this trouble on himself. The case was thrown out of court in February, but it was reopened at Ponosov’s urging because he was not found completely innocent.

Doh!

Regardless, it’s time that this case was ended once and for all. Russian President Vladimir Putin has called this case “utter nonsense.”

At least he understands.

Hopefully someone will step in and help this poor, addled soul. Anyone who has charges against themselves reinstated needs some outside intervention.

Loyal readers, please help. Let’s e-mail Bill Gates and ask him to help Mr. Ponosov. According to several sources, Uncle Bill’s e-mail address is billg@microsoft.com.

Do I really think that this e-mail address will work? Probably not.

But hey, you’ll never know what the response will be unless you ask.

Is Yahoo Serious?

Is a two minute video of someone stacking 20 dice a major news story? Does anyone even care?

I think not.

While sort of interesting, I doubt that this video would hardly even be viewed on YouTube.

Maybe the folks at Yahoo are trying to drive down the price so that Microsoft can afford to buy the company.

Oh, wait. Microsoft has more money than most small countries. My bad.

I have just one big of advice for Microsoft: beware of Yahoo. It's nothing but trouble.

Rush Continues Technological Innovation

According to the Rush.com Web site, the MVI version of the band’s new disc, Snakes & Arrows, will be available on June 5.

MVI, which is short for Music Video Interactive, offers features beyond those of a standard DVD. MVI discs play in all standard DVD players, computers and DVD-enabled gaming consoles.

Just check out the cool features listed on the Rush site that will be included in the Snakes & Arrows MVI DVD:

• The entire album in 96kHz/24 bit hi-resolution stereo
• The entire album in 5.1 surround sound
• Rush: The Game of Snakes & Arrows – a 45-minute documentary on the making of the album, with unprecedented access to the band in the studio
• The ability to create your own mobile ringtones using UrTone technology
• Digital extras like wallpapers, buddy icons, a screensaver and more
• Deluxe packaging

Rush has always been at the forefront of technology and they have included hi-tech goodies with their albums whenever they could. Cool artistic software, drum charts, short documentaries, and Easter eggs are just some examples of what Rush has included with previous CDs or DVDs.

Even their Flash-based Web site it professionally designed and cutting edge.

After more than 30 years of groundbreaking music and innovative use of technology, Rush definitely deserves to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Street Sense Wins Derby

Those of you who know me know that I love horse racing. There’s something magical about watching those beautiful, noble creatures glide along the track.

So imagine my disappointment when I realized that I wouldn’t be able to watch the 133rd Kentucky Derby because I was going to an arena football game.

I love football, too, but the "most exciting two minutes in sports" only happens once a year.

Making that decision was tough, but it was made easier because I was fairly confident that I’d be able to watch my favorite equine event on YouTube.

Sure enough, it took just a couple of minutes to find a replay of yesterday’s race.

While it wasn’t as exciting as watching the race live on TV or actually being at Churchill Downs as I was in 2000, this YouTube solution was a quick and easy way to get my first Triple Crown fix of the year.

Hopefully I won’t miss the next two Triple Crown races this year, but if I do I know that YouTube will make it easy for me to catch the races once I get home.

Good luck Street Sense. I hope that you prove the skeptics wrong and become the next Triple Crown winner.

Rummage Sales Trump eBay

When you’re trying to downsize the glut of stuff that you’ve accumulated over the years, very little can eclipse the sheer thrill of watching the bids of your eBay auction proceed beyond your wildest expectations.

Admit it - watching a bidding war for something that you consider junk is just plain fun.

However, the planning, setup and sales produced by the old fashioned rummage sale is, overall, a much more enjoyable personal experience.

Don’t get me wrong; rummage sales are a lot of work and frequently turn into a huge pain in the butt. However, the camaraderie and family bonding that can occur is much more important than merely auctioning off your stuff.

Besides, who doesn’t like going to someone else’s rummage sale and finding deals for yourself without having to bid against countless others for your new found treasure?

The people you meet through rummage sales are definitely an eclectic mix of folks. Chatting with them is an interesting bonus that you can’t experience using eBay.

My wife and I have been rummage sale fanatics since we first started dating. We like them so much that we even visit them while on vacation. We simply can’t suppress the excitement of following the signs and searching for deals..

While vacationing in Iowa a few years ago, we happened upon the annual “World’s Largest Rummage Sale” in Waterloo. While we’ve seen bigger and better sales, the memories will last us a lifetime.

eBay just can’t compete with that.

Don’t get me wrong. eBay is definitely a useful and positive evolution of the backyard rummage sale. I love using eBay.

But as the rummage sale season approaches, I have to admit that I have a big soft spot in my heart for the backyard rummage sale.

Sometimes technolgy takes a back seat to the retro cool of nostalgia.

Ron Jeremy: Uber-Geek

Huh?

That’s what I said. But it’s true.

Porn icon Ron Jeremy is the host of the new web-based technology show “Techsmart with Ron Jeremy” that appears on YouTube wannabe Heavy.com.

I suppose now that he’s gained 50 pounds and his porn career is over it’s time for a career change, but does Ron Jeremy really know anything about technology?

After watching the show a couple of times, the only thing that I can really say is that he was able to find people to interview who are stranger than he is.

In a weird, bizarre sort of way the show is somewhat amusing.

You’re definitely not going to learn much about technology from Ron Jeremy, but the show is strange enough that I can see it gaining a cult following in a Rocky Horror Picture Show kind of way.

Just remember to keep the squirt guns and rice away from the computers, and hope that everyone on the show keeps their clothes on.

Especially the host.

Inmates are Running the Asylim

In a weak-kneed move that caved in to peer pressure, the executives at popular site aggregator Digg recently threw up their hands and allowed users to publish the keys to allow people to illegally copy DVDs.

According to a recent Associated Press story on CNN:

By late Tuesday, Digg co-founder Kevin Rose said the site would stop trying. [to remove the DVD keys]

"Today was an insane day," Rose wrote in a company blog.

He said Digg agreed to the removal to "avoid a scenario where Digg would be interrupted or shut down."

"But now, after seeing hundreds of stories and reading thousands of comments, you've made it clear. You'd rather see Digg go down fighting than bow down to a bigger company," he wrote. "If we lose, then what the hell, at least we died trying."

Would Digg be as accommodating if users were posting child pornography or al-Qaeda terrorist instructions?

I think not.

Sometimes being in charge requires leaders to make tough decisions that will make them unpopular or change the direction of the business. It comes with the job. Just ask the folks at Napster.

However hard it may be, doing the right thing is always the best course of action.

Unfortunately, Digg executives don't agree.

Army Censors Soldiers’ Blogs

In a move that is not terribly surprising, Wired reports that “the U.S. Army has ordered soldiers to stop posting to blogs or sending personal e-mail messages, without first clearing the content with a superior officer.”

This is nothing new.

The military has been censoring snail-mail since World War II in an effort to keep classified information out of enemy hands.

Blogs and e-mail sent from soldiers who are in a combat zone should be subject to the same restrictions.

This is not a violation of free speech, as many people believe, but a matter of safety.

Imagine what could happen if an al-Qaeda operative read a blog posting that mentioned the blogger’s recent activities, or more importantly their future plans. Even an oblique reference could be enough to tip off the enemy to some future activity.

The enemy could also use photographs posted to blog entries to decipher the layout of a military installation or locate a specific unit. Law enforcement and the military do this exact same thing, so why shouldn’t the terrorists?

While I agree that censoring blogs could silence the important voice of the combat zone soldier, I believe that their safety is more important.

That being said, I feel that the new directive is too restrictive because it also includes soldier’s families. Does this mean that the content of every blog and e-mail written by a family member must be approved by the soldiers’ commanding officer?

Just imagine a grizzled Army officer having to approve the cooking recipe that Grandma Mary is sending to her friends and family.

How ridiculous.

I believe that censoring the e-mail and blog posting of combat zone soldiers is a matter of security. However, placing the same restrictions on civilian family members is inappropriate and absurd.

MySpace Derails Obama Presidency

In a move that could cost Illinois Senator Barak Obama the presidency, his campaign took control of an extremely popular MySpace page and risked alienating 160,000 voters.

With the last two presidential elections decided by a handful of voters residing in a few key swing states, this move could be considered political suicide.

Could the handling of this issue be an indication of how Obama will act if his is voted into office?

It could be.

Votes have been won or lost for reasons far less important than this.

All of the leading presidential candidates realize the importance of the Internet community. Many of the candidates even announced their candidacy via their own Web site.

The fact that this MySpace page created by a volunteer had 160,000 friends indicates the voting power of the Internet community.

Could the presidency be determined by the new swing state called the Internet?

I believe that it could.

Increase IT Diversity

My favorite columnist, Eugene Kane of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, made the following statement in a recent column:

It was clear the blogosphere in Milwaukee is similar to most institutions in town: predominantly white and filled with folks who only want to talk about race relations if they can blame all of the problems in the black community on Ald. Mike McGee.

I agree that there is a startling lack of diversity in the blogosphere, and in the technology industry in general. I have worked in the IT industry for more than 16 years, and in that time the only thing that hasn’t changed much is the predominance of white males.

For some reason white males get the gig as the uber-geek, especially in the highly technical positions.

Are white males the only ones who are willing to spend most of their waking hours dreaming of ways to create a fully-meshed network or deploy redundant SANs?

I certainly hope not.

As I have previously stated, I believe that there are plenty of unemployed or underemployed folks who have the aptitude and desire to join the IT workforce. All that they need is a chance.

In order to increase diversity in the IT industry, I propose that the following measures be pursued.

• Encourage training schools such as ITT Technical Institute and PC Pro Schools to create campuses within the city of Milwaukee, especially in areas that have high unemployment rates.
• Encourage local businesses to create on-the-job-training programs for entry level IT positions.
• Create a program to salvage retired computer equipment from local businesses and provide this free gear to people who cannot afford a computer.
• Provide free broadband connections to homes where someone is training for an IT career through a registered program.
• Hold IT related job fairs in Milwaukee’s inner-city and other areas that have high unemployment rates.
• Broadcast public service announcements on television and radio that promote IT related careers and provide training related information.

These are the same ideas that I proposed in my previous posting, but they are important enough to reiterate.

Instead of finding ways to outsource IT jobs overseas, we should be finding ways to give everyone in this country an opportunity to have a fun and exciting job that also pays pretty darn good.

Mark Cuban Right About Digital Persona

Mark Cuban gets it.

The visionary Internet entrepreneur and rebel NBA team owner really hit the nail on the head in his recent blog posting as he waxed philosophical about digital personas.

To strangers in the digital world, we are what our search results return. Even friends and family can learn things about us using Google. For example, my written persona that is presented online is far different than my offline self.

What do we know about our favorite Drunken Pirate? From recent media reports, all that we seemingly know is that Stacy Snyder likes to party on Halloween and has been unfairly punished by a hyper-sensitive university for having a good time.

Is this really who she is? I doubt it. I'm sure that the real Stacy Snyder is far different than the persona presented in recent online postings and media stories.

I've often wondered about the rhetorical persona that has been created for me in our digital world. Will it someday cost me a job? I certainly hope not. Could it help me land a job? That would be great!

What I do know is that my digital persona is not really who I am. Like the first impression I make, my digital persona is merely a snapshot of myself that may, or may not fully represent my true self.

As Drunken Pirate has recently learned, we should carefully cultivate our online persona as carefully as we develop our offline persona. Your digital persona can have a far greater impact on your offline persona than you may realize.

Just ask Stacy Snyder.