01/22/12

I don’t  know about everyone else, but it takes me either all day or all week.  For instance, I have a journal-type post for one of my blogs (rawlifewizard)that was pre-rough-drafted/conceptualized (I’m not really sure what the academic term is for this) on Jan 15th (exactly a week ago).  But, because I work a full-time job, and I’m trying to excel at work, I’m putting in over 10 hours extra at work weekly, resulting in way more sitting than is  recommended for health.  However, in my job, I’m really doing one of my great loves which is web development.  I’m not complaining.

On top of that I’m checking into opportunities for finishing my Master’s Degree online.  Any of you who’ve ever pursued an undergraduate degree will understand that, with all the paperwork and application submissions and essays for financial aid this is a whole project in and of itself.

I’m also concurrently reading up on and doing home study tutorials on various computer science topics and technologies to enhance my knowledge and improve my earning power.  I am recruiting my friends who have web development and design education to come work for my company, which is in growth mode currently.

If that wasn’t enough, I’ve also begun a quest to master these items simultaneously, (but in actual practice it’s more akin to dynamic multithreading).  Here are the main topics I’ve chosen to concentrate on:

• Computer Programming/Computer Science
• Human Social Dynamics and Interpersonal Relationships
• Heavy Metal Guitar
• Karate
• Eco/Green/Sustainability
• Native American Studies (esp. Plains Indians)
• History of Everything
• Spanish Language
• Japanese Language
• Philosophy of Everything
• Story Telling, etc …

Those are the main topics. I’ve decided that I’m not satisfied with being a “Jack-Of-All-Trades” because everyone knows the rest of the phrase is “Master of none”.  I see the fact that I haven’t mastered much in my life, nor lived up to the potential for certain greatness I KNOW is within me, as disservice to my inner self.  I  choose the path, not to impress anyone else, but solely because it is what I feel I must do.  I can’t explain it, but I am called to a great purpose.  I am to be a teacher and a healer, and since I have finally rebuilt my emotional workings, and thrown off the shackles of hate and learned instead to embrace love and gratitude, I have already begun mentoring and counseling others to help them find their way on the great path.  I have found one of the best ways to learn is to teach.  Ironic, isn’t it?  But it has been my experience that when you can teach something to someone else in a way that they understand, you thereby reinforce your own understanding of the concept.
Some of my more specific, focused areas of interest are:

• History of Money, Trade, & Currency
• Cryptography, Codes & Code-breaking
• History and Origins of Slavery
• History of Collapse of Complex Societies
• History of Disease & Evolutionary Medicine
• Histories of Indigenous Peoples & Their Dispossession
• Natural Medicine & Ancient Healing Technologies
• Commonalities Between Monarchies, The Holy Roman Church, and Corporations
• Unexplained Phenomena & The Supernatural as science that we just don’t understand yet.

I plan to publish papers and perhaps books on these topics.  As a non-fiction author, Isaac Asimov is a great model for how I will write my books.  See Asimov On Numbers and Asimov’s Chronology of the World for good examples of his scientific, yet easily digestible writing style.

But above all else, my health is top of the list.  I’ve had digestive and eliminative problems since 1999 and I think this God’s Herbs fruit fast is the answer to my prayers.  The only side-effect is when my body goes into detox mode, I think it shuts down thinking mode and therefore that is why I get tired and fall asleep after ingesting.  This means I’m unable to get as much done as I would like.  I am a multitasker by nature.  But I wonder if maybe I’m just trying to do too much too fast?

Now, yesterday I made time to do some writing.  Unfortunately HOLLYWOOD/BIG ENTERTAINMENT are trying to push a bill that would essentially give them a monopolistic control over the internet and they’re doing it under the guise of an “Anti-Piracy” bill (SOPA/PIPA).  There was a big online blackout where several prominent websites spearheaded by Wikipedia went dark in protest of the bill.  That’s all great and it had a great effect by temporarily preventing the passage of those creativity-devastating bills, but many of the folks who protested and such don’t realize IT’S NOT OVER YET!  The bills were’nt killed — only postponed.

So, I spent yesterday writing a two-page email to my congresspersons which I submitted through a web form from an activist group for expediency.  That was time I had allotted to do my blogging.  But with this fast I’m on, and the fact that I sometimes have hemorrhoids and it hurts my butthole to sit for long periods of time ( greater than 2 hours) can be a barrier to writing production and how many blog posts I can complete.

EXCUSES AND JUSTIFICATIONS ASIDE …

Here are the steps I usually take when producing a blog post:

1. Brainstorm the topics content of the blog. (30 min)
2. Write the article text in MS Word.  A large chunk of this time is devoted to fact-checking any statements of fact and just making sure that the information I am publishing is accurate to the best of my knowledge.  (2-4 hrs)
3. Proofread and correct spelling errors (1.5 hrs) (NOTE: by this time, I’m usually already tired, but still I push on …)
4. Identify keywords and bold them, then decide which terms will be hyperlinked, and to what.  This step often takes as long as it took to write the article text because I have to research and Google for the most appropriate, and usually most thorough and concise link. (2-3 hrs)
5. Apply text and layout styles and formatting (30-45 min)
6. Locate images and position within the blog (1-2 hrs)

So there you have it …  Basically, to produce a blog post that I am satisfied with and proud to publish, I essentially have to sacrifice the day to blogging only.  I don’t have professional schooling as a writer or a blogger … this is just the process that intuitively makes sense to me.  However, I am interested in hearing how you guys and gals with blogs of your own produce your stuff.  Short of hiring a secretary, I think I’m pretty much doing the best I can.  But, I would be interested in any tips you might have to cut the time in half.  For me the biggest time-eater is all the research I do to ensure my statements are accurate.  Accuracy is important to me and I feel it says something about you as a responsible individual that you took the time to make sure you weren’t just spreading gossip and falsehoods that you heard were true from a friend who heard it from a friend, etc.

If there is an easier way to produce a decent blog post in less than a day, by yourself, I don’t know what it is — but I’m open to suggestion.

(BTW:  If you’re at all curious this post took me 3.5 hours to produce.  Note there are no images and no facts that I need to back up.  I also didnt’ add any text or layout formatting.  There may be spelling errors as well)

Next time perhaps we will look at how to integrate your WordPress blog so it automatically posts to Facebook … or maybe we’ll examine the Evil that Monsanto is generating in the world by trying to patent living organisms and we’ll find out who the supreme court justices were that ruled that organisms could be property, instituting a new form of hi-tech slavery.  I haven’t decided yet …

**** I was just informed that my good friend’s son just got kicked in the head by a horse.  Please, I ask all of you to pray for Chayse and send healing loving energy his way.  Thank you my friends.  You are all beautiful souls! ****

Regards,

Kristobal

Related articles

• Isaac Asimov weighs in with enduring insights on science, faith, and the future [Video] (io9.com)

10:08 PM – See that’s what I’m talking about.  I didn’t go to sleep.  I ended up spending 20 minutes gathering and editing beach photos into a nice background for the “Moving To Panama City” blog below.  I uploaded my photos to photobucket and for some reason WordPress keeps converting my url to have ampersands in unexpected places (like in between two digits!).  So, that’s what I’ve been working on (see, that’s the ADD) … BUT  now I have to stop and rest of a couple hours … we’ll see.

Someone's Beverly Hillbillies car

2011.09.05

Well, I made it to Panama City Beach yesterday!  About halfway through Alabama torrential rain made the traveling require a slower driving speed of around 44MPH.  I had maintained a speed of 55MPH from Indiana as that was about the safest I could drive with all my things strapped onto my roof like the Beverly Hillbillies!

At almost exactly 2PM CST I arrived in Panama City Beach.  The last call I was able to make when i got to town was to Frank at Surfside Storage, who never answered, then my phone died.  Luckily I was near a mall with lots of stores, but believe it or not, I could not find an outlet to plug my phone in to charge it anywhere!  Not even in Starbucks!  In fact, I’m in a McDonalds in Panama City right now about 5 blocks from the Homeless Shelter and IT doesn’t even have a power outlet in any of it’s booths either!  I guess that keeps people from staying too long?

Also, interestingly enough, when I got to town yesterday my phone wouldn’t stay charged (NOTE TO SELF: look into switching to an iPhone), AND my TomTom Via GPS had just died.  What??? Yes!  I have only had my GPS about 3 weeks when it died on me!  Today is Labor Day and I will be taking the GPS back to Sam’s club.  I won’t be buying another one today.  I will have to do some very thorough research on GPS’s, like I usually do on anything electronic, before I buy another one!

Chase account is down to around $50.  So, if I take back my GPS that should but a safe amount of $120-ish back in my account.  Is there a Chase location near me now?

I need to do a location search and see who is open for Mini/Self Storage near the shelter, and also near work.  Laptop says I only have an hour or so left before battery dies.  Need to find a Starbucks.  Or Barnes & Noble.

Finally, I should note that there is a Tropical Storm that was battering the beach yesterday, resulting in high winds and rain, but it really wasn’t that bad.

Take care people!

Panama City Beach, FL

2011.09.02

Well people, I just got a job as a PHP Developer in Panama City Beach, Florida!  I’m super psyched!  I was notified on Wednesday morning that I got the job right after I sent my thank you note to the interviewer.  Looks like “Thank You” and courteous follow-up are definitely keys to succ

ess! So, today is Friday and it also just happens to be Memorial Day weekend.  Gas is up to $3.79/gal for regular unleaded.  It’s funny because I actually remember when “regular” and “unleaded” were two entirely different options, lol. I’ve got most of my packing done except for one suitcase, my guitars, and my perishable food items.  I still need to arrange a storage unit near my workplace.  Boy, today Indiana is having 100+ degrees temps and so now I’m considering waiting until pre-dawn to leave, when it should be cooler and quiter.  I figure I should arrive in Panama City Beach by Sunday evening or Monday morning at the very latest.  I have never driven to Florida before so this will be an entirely new experience. My trusty Suzuki Aerio will be my transportation from here.  I will be able to pack all my computer books in it and maybe even all of the rest of my books.  Maybe I can make a deal with my landlady that is win-win where she can buy my office furniture from me (drastically reduced) that I just bought for $600.

Related articles

• BP’s $30 Million Inspires Bizarre Mix Of Florida Tourism Promotions (tampa.cbslocal.com)
• Florida’s very own Panama City (mirror.co.uk)
• Panama City Beach Economy Growing (chrisbeachybeach.wordpress.com)
• Florida Panhandle Spends BP Money On Christmas Displays and Senior Citizen Proms (huffingtonpost.com)

Freshman GOP leader John Boehner

02/19/11

Hey everyone, guess what? … The Repubs just blocked a vote to prevent pollution in America … “The $1.2 trillion bill [defunds] every Cabinet agency through Sept. 30, when the current budget year ends. It imposes severe spending cuts on domestic programs and foreign aid. Targets include schools, nutrition programs, environmental protection, and heating and housing” (Yahoo News).

“Changes rammed through the House on Friday and Saturday would shield greenhouse-gas polluters and privately owned colleges from federal regulators; block a plan to clean up the Chesapeake Bay; and bar the government from shutting down mountaintop mines it believes will cause too much water pollution.In almost every case, the measure sides with business groups over environmental activists and federal regulators.” (AP, USAToday.com)

Yaaay!  Thank you Repubs … I mean if there was one thing I need more of in my life it’s toxic waste and pollution … thank you SOOO much!

SOURCES:

1)  http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110219/ap_on_re_us/us_congress_spending

2) http://www.usatoday.com/news/topstories/2011-02-19-1724857588_x.htm

Jeff Duntemann

Around 1998 I was working as an Electronics Engineer at a local slaughterhouse (now owned by Tyson Chicken) and it was there in the meager collection of reference books available that I discovered the book “Assembly Language Step-By-Step“, by Jeff Duntemann.  I was blown away.  Though it has been over 10 years since I read this book, if I

Assembly Language Step By Step, 1992 ed.

remember correctly, the way Mr. Duntemann explained these weighty technical concepts was by analogizing a great quest, like Homer‘s Oddyssey or the Wizard of Oz.  I would like to get ahold of this book again so I can re-read it with new eyes.

The author has a great writing style that is accessible to everyone – much akin to Isaac Asimov‘s non-fiction work.

  Most are familiar with Asimov’s science ficition books (I Robot & Foundation being his most famous), but did you know that Asimov was also a very technically competent and prolific writer on everthing from the Bible to modern (40′s to 60′s era) science?  If you have not experienced Asimov’s flowing an easy-going prose I suggest checking out Isaac Asimov’s Guide to Earth and Space, Asimov’s Chronology of the World, and (my favorite) the out-of-print Asimov On Numbers.

If you are familiar with Asimov’s science “explanation” works, or the show “Connections” by James Burke then you already have some idea of the writing style of Jeff Duntemann. 

Asimov on Numbers

Although assembly language as a prolific and practical programming system is practically obsolete at the time of this writing, I would still recommend Assembly Language Step by Step as an interesting read and one worth having in your collection.

~ Kristobaldude

Unreliable? Untrustworthy?

So I have been using Acronis True Image Home 11 since 2009, and have been using other incarnations of the software since 2004.  Acronis has always proven a very reliable (and free) option for backing up and creating hard disk drive images in my own personal experience.  In fact, the only problems I’ve ever had with a given version was when a new media format was released (SATA, USB, 1TB DRIVES, etc…), which is understandable because they don’t have crystal balls to predict the future.  The solution in those cases has usually been to upgrade to the newest version – Voila – no problem!

Such was the case (Version 11 recognized my 750GB external drive, but not my new 1TB external drive, both by Western Digital), that prompted me today (2011.02.14) to search for what the new consensus for best “disk imaging software” was.  The actual search I issued was “disk image software review”.  I knew TopTenReviews.com would pop up of course, and probably CNET and PC Magazine, all of whom are known for their reviews on software and hardware products.

Now, I generally lean toward the advice given on Top Ten Reviews because A) I have been able to verify their findings on my own in the past & B)  CNET/DOWNLOAD.COM (same company) has been really slacking for the last few years, and their reviews have shown less-than reliable.

TOP TEN REVIEWS

Top Ten Reviews

Nonetheless, I saw that TopTenReviews had rated Acronis True Image Home 2011 as it’s top pick, noting “Acronis True Image customer support is top–notch; when we filled out a technical request, we received an answer within two hours. Telephone customer support is available too.“  First, let me say that the brevity and lack of detail should throw up a red flag and is a good indicator that this review may be un-thorough at best and biased and deceptive at worst.   SO WHAT you filled out a request and got a response back … who cares, if the response wasn’t relevant to the problem, or was relevant but didn’t provide an applicable solution???  By the way, this is a frequent problem with outsourcing – getting back cookie-cutter responses from script-monkeys who don’t have the ability nor the inclination to think outside the scope of  what answers they have been taught to parrot back to unsuspecting customers who were desperately seeking real help.  As you can probably tell, I have been dis-serviced by customer NON-support (from various companies using overseas outsourcing) many times, and it has left it’s mark on me.

DOWNLOAD.COM

Download.com

I decided I’d check out Download.com to see what they had to say.  Their imaging programs were in the “Backup Software” category.   When I first looked, Acronis was the top choice.  Then I noticed that in an opaque gray (making it hard to see if you’re not looking for it) the image said “Sponsored Match“

"Sponsored Match"

, which I could then figure out probably means “SOMEBODY PAID US TO PUT THIS ONE FIRST or at least HIGH ON THE LIST”.

Well, it’s hard to have faith in a review that was paid for by the company being reviewed - just drops the credibility of the reveiw and reviewer like a hot potato!  But, I decided to read further anyway and see what customers had to say about why it was so bad.

There were many problems with Download.com’s review of ATIH 2011 and it’s reviewing process in general. They include:

• Heading is for the 2011 version, but the Editor’s review is for the 2010 version – Very misleading to the average consumer
• Every single review for the current version (2011) is 1-star out of 5 (meaning really poor)

Acronis 2011 on Download.com

DOWNLOAD.COM MOST HELPFUL CUSTOMER REVIEWS

(NOTE: These are excerpts of the reviews that show up first for the “latest version” of the product, as of 02/14/11)

“It failed midway in the restore process. I actually tried restoring from this software on three different occasions, each with issues. I was only able to restore an older full backup image – it fails miserably with incremental backups“

“‘Customer No-Service’ provided by a very polite Indian call center. Sadly, they were not empowered by Acronis to help fix any problems!!“

“Bought Acronis to use with my work computer. It did not install properly. It was a nightmare trying to get support from ACRONIS & I tried unsuccessfully for 2 1/2 months. Please think twice before buying any product from ACRONIS!!! Horrible experience“

“After installling Acronis I could not see or access network shares or printers. 2 hours of unsuccessfully rebuilding networks; finally a search on error codes pointed to Acronis as the culpret. uninstalling Acronis fixed the network issue instant … Critical bug at least in XP. Some sites refenced 7 havign same is“

“When you install Acronis True Image Home it replaces the Windows Backup interface with its own interface.There are options to return to the Windows Backup interface in both backup and restore (via Control Panel), as well as the main Acronis interface but these functions don’t work.I discovered this when Windows began doing a backup that had been scheduled before I installed Acronis.Not only was I unable to restore the Windows Backup interface to change the settings but I couldn’t restore it even after uninstalling Acronis.Windows erroneously continues to indicate that a backup is in progress when it clearly isn’t and no amount of restores and restarts will now fix it or allow a return to the original interface.It appears that the only way to solve the problem is to reinstall Windows.I’m out a pile of money and faced with huge hassles trying to recover my system.Don’t go near Acronis and their product“

“I got no response from two requests for technical assistance. When I try to run a backup, I just get a message that says ‘the product has stopped working’“

“I purchased the product from a big box retailer. Initial install produced errors and was told by Acronis website, that it was a known issue for my particular ‘build number’ I was unabale to figure out how to get to the support people as I coudn’t get past their ‘suggested resolve’ site. I did get to the live chat page, but couldn’t get a response on their end. Finally figured out the install issue ( i had originally chose the wrong install option) and was able to get the upgrade. First 3 bakups failed on one PC. (Backup was corrupt) and I am still working on it. I suspect I will eventually resolve these issues but it has certainly been painful… and without support“

“Quick qualifier: I’m very experienced with computers and with imaging. I have nearly a B.S. in Computer Networking, A+ certification, fairly high IQ, blah blah. Yet I could not get the backup onto DVD!!! Now, I would like to know what the F%$# is wrong with Acronis that they can’t insure that the most basic functions of True Image will work? Well Acronis???? Why couldn’t I get the image onto DVD????“

FINAL WORDS

If Acronis True Image Home 2011 is “an unreliable piece of junk” as one user states in his review, this portion that follows echoes my sentiments exactly: “[ATIH 2011] has gone from a product I used to enthusiastically recommend to friends to one I’m embarrassed by ever having said a positive word about. I would add that CNet’s review of this product confirms my impression in recent years that CNet is no longer a reliable source of reviews. The editors obviously didn’t test this product in any serious way or they would have given it no more than one star“

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

So, What Do You Think people?

Is Acronis a good option for Windows XP users?

Can reviews at Download.com or TopTenReviews.com be trusted?

What Disk Imaging software do YOU trust?

Let me know where you sit on these issues by leaving a comment below!

BUSINESS CARD: Not By Chains Music