Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Human Terrain...
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
The Symbolic Life...
http://www.jung.org/readingcorner.html
Monday, October 14, 2013
Dream interpretation...
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Google Personalized News Login Failure....
Every so often now my Samsung SIII Mini does not login to my Google personalized news. It's very annoying since it's my start page and favorite bookmark. Noticed it again this morning when another change in Google+ came through.
I messed around with deleting various aspects of the browser security selections but with inconsistent results. Finally, it dawned on me - just remove all of it. With this in mind I went the the Settings application and selected Application Manager. Then swiped to change the tab to "ALL" and scrolled down to the selection "Internet".
Once there it's easy, just push the "Clear data" button. But there is a downside - all my bookmarks GONE! Fortunately I had backups. The Google bookmarks solution seems awkward even though the idea is good. I use the app Bookmark Folders by DynamicG that warns NOT TO USE if you are using Google's bookmarks.
I then went into my Bookmark Folder application and restored my precious bookmarks. I'm sure that Google will eventually perfect Google+ and the synchronized bookmarks but until then...
Conflicting Knowledge...
Of interest to me is the concept of how markets are created in a free market enterprise. In the past, leadership was presented at the highest levels of our government mainly through the leadership of our president and their agenda. However, since the Clinton/Lewinsky fallout the presidency has become something different. The office was recognized as the leadership position for our country but over time it seems only recognized as the leader of the opposing party.
This situation has stagnated our economy. Even with the recognition of a shift to technology markets resulting from environmental concern our markets have struggled under the abdication of our political structure. The structure is not new - it has existed well over two hundred years but without a defined position of leadership the country focused only on security once jolted by 9/11.
After the cooperation of creating the largest expansion of government in the history of our country (security) there was a let down in any follow up activities needed to create new markets. This has led to the questioning of one of the pillars of our country - economic analysis. The historical capabilities of this embedded profession in the heart of our government now bears the burdon of recognizing emerging markets.
We see new technology trying to emerge but with political paralysis and a profession mired in its historical boundaries we will soon find ourselves in an unusual position - 2nd place. Is this is reason enough to begin using our technical skills that has historically been known as human geography? But this road too is not paved or easily navigated in our country. The reason is that human geography in the United States has a very small presence only apparent in zoning activities.
The road ahead however is not impassable. This is mainly due to another historical connection with our government - the support of our institutions for higher learning. It began through the efforts of the Department of Homeland Security who forged relations with college's throughout the country focused on visual analytics. Visual analytics has grown as a supporting effort to the security situation arising out of 9/11 and has been solidified in the conflicts of Iraq and Afghanistan. But it's focus now needs to turn in support of long term analysis.
How will this new convergence look - an age old profession with emerging capabilities that are for the most part incompatible due to opposing theologies? Our historical economics has been labeled "Cowboy Economics" while emerging technologies are known as toys or entertainment but recognized for their possibilities in "Game Theory".
All of this is lost in the political environment perpetuated by 24 hour news steeped in entertainment. In addition bloggers and writers seem content to fan the conflict and act as if the only solution is the dualistic approach. We now see Tweeter and Facebook used as sources of news while the academics struggle to integrate "toys" into a serious system that brings together opposing knowledge systems - what are they you ask? The PAST and the FUTURE.
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
The Ten Commandments and the Economy of Faith...
Recently decide to Google the term - "catholic use of economy description in catechist" - and this was the first result.
Catechism of the Catholic Church - The seventh commandment
Natural Capitalism-Creating the Next Industrial Revolution
Natural Capitalism-Creating the Next Industrial Revolution
Monday, September 23, 2013
Saturday, September 21, 2013
After a Crisis of Faith...
Monday, September 9, 2013
Geospatial Integration...
Not sure this is happening at every level and capacity but the document does justice to the complexity.
http://www.govloop.com/m/blogpost?id=1154385%3ABlogPost%3A2592863
Sunday, September 8, 2013
5 senses - 3 scales
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Does intelligence help?
U.S. Had Intel on Chemical Strike Before It Was Launched | The Cable - http://safe.mn/nFQ_
Data moves through a life cycle and Intel DOES NOT become knowledge until it is shared. This occurs through official channels that mimics a political and legal process. Really not sure what part the media plays in educating a general population of the facts. Even well written detailed articles such as this have an accusing headline in a general context.
The headline to me is a positive when compared to the break in Intel life cycle that occurred during 9/11. This particular article describes an effective data gathering system going through an analysis process in the hopes of reducing the effectiveness of illegitimate human acts. However, it still does not make the decisions of how to respond easy. So I would have to ask - what would MY HEADLINE be? It seems very hard to create a headline that DOES'NT take a side or position. Think all my headlines would be questions especially since FACTS are SHARED Intel with a common understanding.
Sunday, August 25, 2013
The Last Pope?
As a practicing Catholic I have read a tremendous amount of historical and current writings of saints and the Church. The Church does not teach "End Time" prophesies because Christ did not.
Matthew 24:36 - But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.
However, these methods of looking at literature and deriving content are a part of our Christian Hebrew history and were described in a negative Church context in the "Bible Code" books and movies.
A recent web review indicates that a Israeli web technology researcher has began discussions of these methods in a professional manner in her research - see "Israeli ‘web prophet’ maps the past to predict the future."
Would still like to see this DVD though - I noticed in the above video it's not the Catholic Priests giving any speculative comments. I do like this short video because of the dramatic techniques used to grab attention - very well done and quite professional. In an economic since "End Time" topics sell well and I think they should be called "End Time Profits":-)
Human Content Analysis...
"It’s a very sophisticated form of data mining, enabling deep analysis of disparate events and seeing how they repeat themselves time after time."
Read more at http://mobile.wnd.com/2013/08/israeli-web-prophet-maps-past-to-predict-future/#FBPxcyzkygKfDPqY.99
Saturday, August 24, 2013
City on the Hill
VOODOO:-)
New Humanism?
http://www.metropolismag.com/Point-of-View/February-2013/A-New-Humanism-Part-9/
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Economic vertical model...
Typical economic high level discussion that DOES NOT include any reference to natural systems. Especially a systems approach of the effects of using renewable vs nonrenewable energy sources on the economy except to maintain current methods of economic modeling that do not address sustainability.
Reference: New letter adding fuel to ethanol debate, dated 18 August 2013
http://www.onenewsnow.com/business/2013/08/18/new-letter-adding-fuel-to-ethanol-debate#.UhC955EpDJs
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Change your Outlook Microsoft style...
Cancel As Boolean)
' Place this VBA code in the built-in ThisOutlookSession module
' to send yourself a BC email every time you email.
Dim objRecip As Recipient
Dim strMsg As String
Dim res As Integer
Dim strBcc As String
On Error Resume Next
' #### USER OPTIONS ####
' address for Bcc -- must be SMTP address or resolvable
' to a name in the address book
strBcc = "someone@somewhere.dom"
Set objRecip = Item.Recipients.Add(strBcc)
objRecip.Type = olBCC
If Not objRecip.Resolve Then
strMsg = "Could not resolve the Bcc recipient. " & _
"Do you want still to send the message?"
res = MsgBox(strMsg, vbYesNo + vbDefaultButton1, _
"Could Not Resolve Bcc Recipient")
If res = vbNo Then
Cancel = True
End If
End If
Set objRecip = Nothing
End Sub
##################################################################
Sub ExportICal()
' Export your calendar for Google
Dim oNamespace As NameSpace
Dim oFolder As Folder
Dim oCalendarSharing As CalendarSharing
Dim enviro As String
enviro = CStr(Environ("USERPROFILE"))
strFolderpath = enviro & "\Desktop\OutlookWorkCalendar.ics"
' Get a reference to the Calendar default folder
Set oNamespace = Application.GetNamespace("MAPI")
Set oFolder = oNamespace.GetDefaultFolder(olFolderCalendar)
' Get a CalendarSharing object for the Calendar default folder.
Set oCalendarSharing = oFolder.GetCalendarExporter
' Set the CalendarSharing object to export the contents of
' the entire Calendar folder, excluding attachments and
' private items, and restricted to working hours in full detail.
With oCalendarSharing
.CalendarDetail = olFullDetails
.IncludeWholeCalendar = True
.IncludeAttachments = False
.IncludePrivateDetails = False
.RestrictToWorkingHours = False
End With
' Export calendar to an iCalendar calendar (.ics) file.
oCalendarSharing.SaveAsICal strFolderpath
EndRoutine:
On Error GoTo 0
Set oCalendarSharing = Nothing
Set oFolder = Nothing
Set oNamespace = Nothing
MsgBox "'OutlookWorkCalendar.ics' Export Complete", vbOKOnly, "iCal Message"
Exit Sub
Sunday, August 4, 2013
The fulcrum of a Zealot...
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zealot:_The_Life_and_Times_of_Jesus_of_Nazareth
Crossroads: Labor Pains of a New Worldview | FULL MOVIE
Pattern Biological Insite - 39:44
Imaginal Cells - 41:50
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5n1p9P5ee3c |
Sunday, July 14, 2013
Knowledge Domain Transfer...
My claim as an artist is a little shaky - its not my profession and its not a hobby either. Its more of a talent I had when young, fostered during high school and later chosen as an undergraduate major in college. In college however it became something different - it became a mastery of plastic elements through an external expression. The mastery came through the realization that non-interesting topics such as history could be viewed as the evolution of design, thus creating an interest that was never there.
Have never heard this discussed or described but a feeble attempt would be "Knowledge Domain Transfer." My experience is that the structure of knowledge is consistent over time, irregardless of the domain and it is this structure that allows for cross-domain transfer of knowledge. This would be akin to the concept of "cultural meme's" as coined it was coined by the British evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins. Meme's are described in biological terms only because Dawkins was a biologist while I experienced them as structured plastic elements that transfer between domains.
In one of my elective classes, I took a special topic entitled "Science and Religion". Had always been interested in my own religious faith reading many historical books on the subject and this interested me. It was in this class that I wrote and presented this early idea on the architectonic of thought. This is not my description but while discussing it with a visiting professor this was how he described it. As a wrap up to our "Science and Religion" class, the conflict that is thought to exist between these two knowledge domains was described as "bad science" or "bad religion." In my own words the absence of knowledge domain transfer. This is contrary to writings of early Church Saints who converted entire pagan nations based on an explanation of "The Way" that filled in gaps and replaced many social pagan customs. These Church writings are a historical record of this concept of cross-domain transfer of knowledge.
The concept of "meme's," by Richard Dawkins in his 1976 book The Selfish Gene has been expanded by Susan Blackmore through the the concept that meme's replicate in an evolutionary method through human imitation. She also introduced a special category of memes called temes. Temes are memes which live in technological artifacts instead of the human mind. These meme concepts can be seen in how social media has exploded in our cultures and how media items can become viral. Although our methods of communication have changed the social structures where meme's replicate and evolve do not.
Knowledge and communication are at the essence of our humanity and Pope John Paul II was prolific in multiple languages and wrote many books. The one that influenced the "TIME" cover above was entitled, "Crossing the Threshold of Hope." It was a series of questions that John Paul answered from an expected interview with Vittorio Messori, an Italian journalist and writer. However, the interview was cancelled but John Paul answered all of Messori's questions in writing and delivered them to him with a suggested title of "Crossing the Threshold of Hope." So the book actually a collaboration that begins with the question from Messori, do you ever have doubts? The answer from John Paul is what pulled me in and led me to read a number of his writings and publications - "BE NOT AFRAID."
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Speedie speedo...
Before using it again, I decided to set it up with my tire size and get use to the menus. My last computer was a wired model that cost about $12 bucks after returning a wireless model that did not work well. This one is definitely a step up. Like all the features but wish it had auto scroll that would go through the typical speed calculations. It has a nice back-light too but does not stay on - it comes on when a button is pushed then goes off after a few seconds. My next ride was right on in distance after setting the tire size - used the chart with tire sizes and settings included in the manual.
Began by using the rubber bands but decided to mount the speedometer bracket using the wire ties. It would flex a little bit when I pushed the buttons - didn't like that. Decided not to wire tie the sensor though - its kinda large and thought it would be better to take it off after removing the speedometer. Its a snap to install and I haven't noticed any unnecessary movement on the roads I ride on. My bike has large diameter carbon fiber forks and the band is nice and tight.
Don't use most of the features - I generally keep it on the TRIP DIST and it continuously displays speed. There is a small up and down arrow on the left side of the speed that indicates if current speed is above or below the average speed. Like that allot because I don't have to push the button to know the average. All in all I'm very pleased and would recommend the purchase. However, I found it on Amazon from a seller for $50 with free shipping - at that price it was an exceptional deal.
Monday, July 8, 2013
What the EXIF?
The ExifTool is used by GeoSetter and many other geotagging software tools - it's a very capable command line program by itself. With a little reading of the well documented functionality on the web site , I did the following:
- Created a directory with copies of my pictures.
- Created a copy of my GPX file "tracks.gpx" in the same directory.
- Copied the downloaded "exiftool.exe" there also.
- Then created a "Geotag.bat" file with the line below and geotagged all my images.
exiftool -geotag tracks.gpx -geosync=+00:56 -City="Boone" -Sub-Location="Appalachian State University" -Province-State="North Carolina" -Country-PrimaryLocationName="USA" *.jpg
pause
REM ##########################################################################
ExifTool even allows for exporting a Google KML file using a template but this diverged from my simplistic theme. The exported KML file still needs to have the images read from a Web site to work in Google Earth. GeoSetter has the best KML export capability but it still seemed best to have the original image on a Web site.
There are a lot of web portal options for geotagged images. GeoSetter has built in publishing support for LocRMaps (http://www.locr.com) but I didn't feel like a new sign up. I knew my EveryTrail ( http://www.everytrail.com) web site would work but had read in passing that Microsoft SkyDrive and Google Picasa both supported geotagged images without making any new accounts.
All the sites were relatively easy to upload files but Google Picasa handled the 261 geotagged photos the best. EveryTrail is suited strictly for trails with photos as a feature but SkyDrive and Picasa are for pictures with maps as a feature. SkyDrive is more graphically refined but Picasa has more mapping features. For map production from geotagged pictures Picasa wins hands down.
As you navigate to the project folder in Picasa's web album, you immediately know the photos are geotagged because of an overview map on a right side panel. The overview map can be zoomed and basemap changed to satellite or terrain. Immediately below the overview map are two additional mapping options - View map and View in Google Earth. Others options include web links, RSS feed, album sharing and embedded code for an animated web album.
This isn't the end of it though - still have to pull it all together in a GIS system. I'm sure it will provide a few more options:-)
Sunday, July 7, 2013
Picasa Geotagged Web Album...
Geotagging Project...
Did not synchronize the GPS and camera clock but I did take a picture of the GPS as I got out of the car. This way I could synchronize the GPS log file with the picture time later. Turned out that I took about 160 pictures and about 90 waypoints without any problems except that the camera ate batteries. Finally adjust the screen settings so they would last longer.
Couldn't wait to get back to the hotel and play with the data. Nothing appeals to me more than maps and pictures but my time away from the equipment showed. The very first issue was not accessing the waypoints - I could connect to the GPS using USB but the GPX file only contained the log files. I wanted ALL the waypoints too. Oh yeah - they had to be in the internal memory, so I downloaded EasyGPS (http://www.easygps.com). If you have a Garmin this software is a must. It connects directly and is able to read all the data flawlessly. It even geotags photos but the camera has to be time synchronized prior to using. That's where I messed up - not taking the time to check the time. There was even a daylight savings time issue with the camera.
Had used GeoSetter (http://www.geosetter.de/en/) way back with my original research so I downloaded it right away. As before it was very comprehensive but not as intuitive as I remembered. I was able to get some pictures and maps but there were so many options and settings that I wasn't comfortable with the output. Also, there was one picture that wasn't showing where I knew it to be. Time for something new. Geotag (http://geotag.sourceforge.net) popped up on one of my searches and I had not seen it before. Actually had download a few others but they were as complex as GeoSetter so I didn't use them. However, Geotag is a Java program and one of our data loggers also uses a Java program I liked a lot but it's proprietary to the logger. Liked the concept.
Took a few times to get the geotagging working on my photos. Geotag requires two other programs to work - GPSbabel (http://www.gpsbabel.org) and EXIFtool (http://www.sno.phy.queensu.ca/~phil/exiftool). Didn't really like that because GPSbabel requires a Windows install but it looks like it may take the place of EasyGPS for connecting to the Garmin. Also, Geotag needs to know these external program locations and it asks for their directory. Didn't work the first couple of times because it actually needs the executable with path location.
Geotag has an intuitive interface so it didn't take long to figure it out. Once the pictures were added it was like working in a spreadsheet with right-mouse-click context menu's. I found it the simplest and easiest to adjust the time on my picture. Geotag prompts you with a menu option to "Set time of image..." so I went to my GPS picture and set the time to match - "easy peasy".
What I found out in this entire process was that there are way more options for geotagging pictures and I need to do some more testing. GPSbabel looks like a good solution too and I haven even got to the map output. Back when I researched the original process there wasn't a lot of map options but now Google Picasa and Microsoft SkyDrive both support geotagged photos. Oh well - looks like a new project:-)
Monday, July 1, 2013
Sigma BC 1609 STS Double Wireless Speedometer
This BC 1609 will mount in either direction, is weather proof, backlit, and wireless. Oh yeah - found it on Amazon for bout a $20 discount. Not just any wireless either but supper duper wireless - thought I'd try it. I'm skeptical cause the last wireless I had I took it back. There were times when it would not work for no apparent reason so I hope that STS wireless IS truly "super duper."
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0039GG844/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?qid=1372560841&sr=8-3&pi=SL75
http://www.sigmasport.com/us/produkte/bikecomputer/topline_2009_wireless/bc1609_sts_cadence/?flash=1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J83LVR6viJU&feature=youtube_gdata_player
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZhjYucnzGM&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Bike Ride
Ashland Walmart
EveryTrail - Find the best hikes in California and beyond...So I decided that instead of using my Holux M-241 bluetooth GPS with my Android and Everytrail app I would just use it as a logger and upload the log files. Works Great!!!
Friday, June 28, 2013
Schwinn 12 Function Computer
Went and bought the Schwinn 12 Function Computer computer for my bike but before I opened it I noticed that it would only mount on the handle bar. NO GO. Wanted to mount it on the neck.
Monday, June 24, 2013
Garmin or Holux - that was the question?
You connect to the device... |
Upload track logs to your PC... |
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Hype Curve
Her theory is the basis for a technology companies research on the "Hype Curve".
http://www.slideshare.net/fred.zimny/carlota-perez-growth-after-the-financial-crisis
Monday, June 17, 2013
First Serious Road Bike - Motobecane Mirage 2008
Bought from www.bikesdirect.com - downtube shift levers allowed for easy modification of the handle bar. |
Great components at the time - they still have this model but components aren't near as good. |
Used original bar tape to wrap the straight bars after cutting to original bar width - used mountain bike brake levers. |
Gotta have a computer:-) |
Rims not bad... |
Tires OK. |
Derailleur was low-end but worked well and precise. |
The brakes are no comparison to what there putting on the current model. |
Found this seat at my local bike shop - it was real leather and very nice. Haven't been able to find it again. |
The bike was light and fast... |
Oh yeah - gotta have a kick-stand. |
Saturday, June 15, 2013
Antivirus Firewall Network Issues
The Windows Firewall just wouldn't work right. I would get the security warnings and tried to turn it on but nothing. The cable modem would disconnect and the security warning kept popping up. So I downloaded Norton Removal Tool and decided to start over. I uninstalled the Norton Personal Use that I had installed and ran the Norton Removal Tool. Same thing – trouble turning on the firewall. So I tried to install the Personal Use firewall not Windows and it would not let me turn it on. So now neither firewall would work. Had to do something more drastic – there has to be a fix.
Found the fix on "Microsoft Community" blog posted by "DPTowers" (Link). Seemed simple enough:
"FIXED IT! - For all having this specific problem, please follow these steps!! Open a "run as administrator" command prompt.
Go to "c:\windows\system32\config\TxR" (or the equivalent location on your PC)
- run "attrib –H –S *" to make all hidden files in the directory visible.
- run "del *.blf"
- run "del *.regtrans-ms"
- reboot the machine"
So I unistalled the antivirus software completly – AGAIN:-) and used the Norton Removal Tool and followed the instructions. Went to the Start Button > All Programs > Accessories and right-mouse-clicked on "Command Prompt" and selected "Run as administrator". Followed the instructions just as written and rebooted.
I wanted to see everything work without the anivirus software so I went to the windows Security Center and checked to make sure the Firewall and Defender were on and working. Yeah!!! It seemed to work properly. Now for the final test – install Norton Personal Use without the Norton firewall and see if it worked. TA DA!!!
Verified everything a few times and waited to see if the network connection were stable. So far so good. Thanks "DPTowers"... J
Friday, June 14, 2013
Adversaries
Our own humanity.
If I look at the natural system, it is repetitive, changing, and adaptive - so are we. The Church teaches we can know God through his creation, the natural world, and if I observe all of nature in its beauty and all of humanity in its complexity - the only indication of the evil professed to exist is within ourselves.
Christ did not condemn the knowledge systems of his time but worked within them and parallel to them adjusting our perceptions so that we could become one. His concept was NOT to live in peace but to live together as God intended us to live together - just as he had designed the rest of creation.
There are many animals both vegetarian and carnivorous but none eat more than nature provides. They live simple lives within there God given capacities but no model exists in nature that can teach us about our own humanity - except all of nature itself, all of space itself or all the universe. And there are no animals created by God that exist as adversaries.
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Yakima KingJoe Pro 2 and 2007 Mazda 3
For everyone looking for a bike rack to fit their 2007 Mazda 3 with factory spoiler - look no further. It's the Yakima KingJoe Pro 2 - bought mine at RackAttack.com. Also purchased the trunk security strap to go with it. Like it LOTS !!!
Took me a while to decide and looked all over the Web for to see if it would fit but I finally decided - the KingJoe Pro 2. There wasn't just one thing about it that I liked but many. The first thing was it's look and design - the rectangular rail design compared to the round tubing of others won me over. In addition, I liked how the padding on the top and bottom brackets went completely across.
The other thing that impressed me was the complete package of function. I liked the idea of it fitting on many vehicles cause my job has fleet cars - it even comes with straps for mini vans with glass hatch backs. Then to have such an ingenious security strap option - a little dog bone looking thing that has an attached cable embedded in a typical looking nylon strap.
The bottom line is that it looks good too. It has nice paint and an industrial look that looks good even when not carrying my bike. GOOD STUFF!!!
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
FEMA's Quick 2 version 1
FEMA's Web site lists software authorized for use with its NFIP FIRM mapping program but although it lists Quick 2 version 1 when the links are navigated you end up at version 2. Both are old programs but their importance is expressed in their name - QUICK!
Quick 2 is the latest but can only be described as finicky on all current Windows platforms. It's also seems more so when loaded on computers with other Corps of Engineers HEC versions. For this reason I began using Quick 2 version 1. Version one is DOS based but is very stable and works with no clitches.
Unfortunately with the upgrade of operating systems to Windows 7 64bit Quick 2 version 1 became obsolete. Seemed a waste of a perfectly good program that did everything it was designed to do except look modern.
With a little research DOSBOX was found - it is a popular program used to play old DOS games on current systems, including 64bit Windows 7. It took very little effort to get it running and its something you may need can be downloaded here.
If this is something you need just email me..
http://www.fema.gov/national-flood-insurance-program-0/quick-2-version-10
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Easter
When Christ died and rose from the dead the world was a violent place. The Romans regularly exercised their authority through the sword, religious leaders inspired the stoning of sinners, and people of faith sacrificed their children to other gods.
His actions where condemned by all after spontaneously hailing him king. Religious leaders, who had no legal authority to kill him sought it from the government, Rome did not care about religious affairs and relinquished it to the people, and the people chose to release Barabus, a insurrectionest against Rome.
In the tradition of biblical writing, these are timeless events and stories that should be retold. We are the the remnants and scattered people of the Israelites tribal beliefs. Scattered not only physically but in faith also. Christ - our Priest, Prophet, and King established a new way to sacrifice to the one True God that needs no government support nor church tradition. Your sins are forgiven in the same measure as you forgive others as long as your sacrifice is joined with his. How simple?
Happy Easter!
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Something New...
These activities were described in the same manner that knowledge functions are described today - from the experience and knowledge of the discipline. An economy is thought of as as a single social activity now at the world scale due to our technology but our creation stories go back to even before a real social economy even existed. This draws me into the conceptual ideas of the old Testament writers who described these human concepts as the functional elements of nature that they were most familiar with. Knowledge as it existed at the time has always been a part of our activities and these stories place the knowledge of our ancestors into a functional perspective and system. Where I would differ with current perspective is only a matter of degrees but it creates and aligns itself with more traditions broadening the concept of the "economy" into something vastly different but of great importance.
The perspective changes from a totally human constructed social system to one that reflects a more traditional natural system that embodies both science and religious traditions and in doing so begins to unify thought and effort. There is NOT one economy just as there is NOT one country or people. There is NOT one government but governmental bodies that work together or are in conflict. These actions are all part of the system and profession known as "economics" but it's limited to its historical context. As a human system of social interaction it's context has a very limited perspective with a focus only on the government and flow of currency between governing bodies. This system itself causes conflict by its very design.
Currency is an abstract idea of value that measures two very important elements in every scale of government: natural resources and human services. Although broad in scope the interaction of all human social activity has evolved into a system of measure that has become more important than the origins that it embodies. An abstract system that contains all the world's natural resources and all the world's possibilities of human activity but we are still describing it in terms of past technology and understanding. It's time for something new...
Friday, March 15, 2013
Garden
What if life was created by wind blowing across the water - so what?
What if we measured things using our knowledge of the wave - so what?
What if the wave brought things together in such a way that beauty was created - so what?
What if coming together formed a garden and both of us took care of it - so what?
What if I was blind and you were deaf - so what?
Would we still tend the garden?
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
New Phone - Transferring Number from one carrier to another.
After receiving a couple of new phones, switching and trading with my girlfriend she decided that she wanted to keep her phone number. She was tired of changing cause she had went through a couple phones in the last year or two. Went with Straight Talk Sim cause it worked in any phone within network specs, had great AT&T coverage and at a great price.
Everything thing was going smooth and the online pages even seemed well designed until - IT happened. After filling out the Web form she received a call - PROBLEM. Wonder what it was? No way to find out but by their response system that included lots of waiting - NO FUN.
Turns out to be a simple problem that was not explained well. Straighttalksim.com asks for an account number of existing service but Boost Mobile does not give it to you. At least it's not your phone number that all of these no contract carriers give you. I can only really say that about two: Virgin Mobile and Boost Mobile. I was led to believe that your phone number is also your account. Not so.
Had to actually call Boost Mobile and ask them for tbe account number before I was able to get it. After that instead of going through customer service I went back to the Web pages and submitted a new request. THE REDULTS - went right through and had it up and running in a very short time.
The only problem was that I still had to eventually go through customer service but at least it wasn't because I didn’t have service:-) it was because I was billed twice. Oh well - didn't think that THAT would be a hard fix. Easy to see in the system...
The Plant
It's is our intelligence that recognizes our surroundings and as individuals we try to understand our existance by recognizing patterns of life around us. Our need for food has been dominated by our ability to recognize patterns and adapt them to a communal existance.
Adapting patterns is an individual's work but as the perceived pattern is shared they become something else. For our existance they combine space, time, scale and mass; taking a form that exists in the reality of many people. It is a natural process unique to our existance.
Eisenstein developed the mathematical formula E=mc 2 (square) - it existed in our perceptions prior to his formula but it was not integrated into our human knowledge. However, once the pattern was defined in such a way that it was understood and accepted by a great many people as being true then it was understood as part of our shared reality.
All human knowledge moves through stages of development and evolution that begins with our senses - if we use them.
Facebook Messenger
Just downloaded Facebook Messager to see how it works. Seems like any other texting software but except that it tracks your location - if you let it. Kinda cool but I'm not interested in publishing my location - I know where I'm at and where I'm going and I'm not usually lost:-) If I'm looking for someone I text them and ask where they are. I just don't get it.
What I AM looking to do is communicate thoughts and ideas. I think location is cool and there are alot of uses that have it built in - after 911 a system of location became a requirement in phones for governmental reasons and their may be an actual need. I just don't understand it's use in social media unless you're coordinating activities amongst alot of people or a specific type of group with specific spatial coordination requirements. Just doesn't see it as a typical social function.
Main goal: communicate ideas using words through multiple networks such as WIFI and all the G's. You know 2g, 3g, and 4g. I have a phone capable of communicating many things but I want it to communicate specifically what I intend and when a network, of some kind, is available.
I have a few pieces of software that I use on my Android to communicate: Heywire, Skype, and Google Talk. They all have their plus and minuses and now I know why I don't like Facebook Messenger so far. It DOES NOT WORK on phone networks.
Oh well, still kinda like it cause I DO DO Facebook I just don't have the app on my phone. Facebook seems to be creating a way to interact on an individual level that links interests but the experience is becoming less about common interests and more about linking add content to the right person. Think I'll keep Facebook Messenger though - just don't intend to share my location. At least in the automated sense. Just for the record, Google Talk works great on both WIFI and phone networks just as long as you are just texting. Heywire does too but it's hit and miss, depending on the country your in. Skype? Oh well - I use to like it but not so much now. I'm sure it's just the country I'm in.
Learning?
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Latitudes not Attitudes: How Geography Explains History
...Geography explains why farming first appeared towards the western end of the Old World’s lucky latitudes; and, if the West had simply held on to the early lead that nature’s unfairness had given it, geography would be the obvious explanation for why the West now dominates the world.
http://m.historytoday.com/ian-morris/latitudes-not-attitudes-how-geography-explains-history
Has the Garden of Eden been located at last?
"It is a tale of rich complexity, beginning 30 millennia before the birth of Christ. Of climatic shifts from moist to arid to moist, with consequent migrations eddying back and forth across, and up and down the Middle East. And of myriad peoples. There were hunter-gatherers whom agriculturists displaced. There were prehistoric Ubaidians who built cities, Sumerians who invented writing and the Assyrians who absorbed Sumer's writing as well as its legend of a luxuriantly lovely land, an Eden called Dilmun. Finally there were Kashshites in Mesopotamia, contemporaries of the Israelites then forming the state of Israel."
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Android Google Play Download Error (911)
Wow!!! I finally got a phone with some great specs and to go along with it a huge and fast SD card to hold anything I want. My first ever Android ran out of memory but not this one - a 16GB class 10 card should do the trick.
First test was with movies - my favorite app for this is MX Player by J2 INTERACTIVE. It supports hardware accelerated graphics too and I've used it more than a few times while deployed in Afghanistan but the real reason was for games.
Gaming on Android is in its infancy and my taste for games is very narrow. I've had only a few games on all my previous phones, solitaire and a drag racing game that I play sparingly but with my new phone, I was in search of something that would tax my new hardware.
Oh my - I found it on Google Play, Defense Zone HD by ARTEM KOTOV. Like alot of the programs, there was a free demo version so it founds it's way onto my phone. The graphics are great and the game play - well it satisfies my desire for stratigic analysis. Played the demo over and over until I finally decided to buy it.
My purchases on Play are few - I only purchased one other program called SwiftKey Keyboard by SwiftKey. They nabbed me in the same way, free demo and an awesome program. After I woreout the free levels on the hardest setting I decided to buy it - no easy task for me but I had to have it. As I anticipated playing my new game and watching the progress bar, my excitement soon turned to frustration - what the @&#+!
At the end of the download - after reaching 100% there it was AN ERROR - "Defense Zone HD could not be downloaded due to an error. (911)." I was in disbelief and tried two or three more times with the same results. Google Play support however is alive and well, they credited my account but the only explanation was - not a certified phone. I was very disappointed but once the initial shock wore off I used my uncertified Android phone with official Google search to look for an uncertified fix.
Took a while but finally found a reference for a similar problem on a custom Android ROM. There are many download errors but I was looking for (911) and this was a numerical match. The article indicated a Google Play problem with all programs over 50mb so I tested this theory. It was TRUE, at least with my uncertified Android phone but I wasn't buying it. My uncertified phone has two SD cards that seems to give most programs problems.
Could I fix my uncertified phone simply by changing some settings? My Neobox Tuna 2 runs Android 4.0.3 but under the settings menu is a selection for storage. Not sure about all Android phones but mine shows two SD cards but with only one slot. My guess is that the internal memory uses an inaccessible SD card slot for reduced cost but it seems to give some programs problems. Other programs however read both with no problem and work as they should, my immediate thought was a program issue that I could fix using the storage setting options on my phone.
The demo game I liked so well was under 50mb while the paid program was over so I had to find a demo over 50mb to test my theory. There are two settings for my phones storage that I thought would affect the download - one is the "preferred install location" and the "default write disk". The preferred install has three choices: internal storage, sdcard, or Let the system decide. Didn't even hesitate - selected internal storage. The default write disk has two choices, sdcard and sdcard2. It's intuitive to think that the sdcard is the system card and from browsing it previously I knew this to be true - select. All I needed to do now was to find a demo - found it.
Defense Zone HD was created using a platform called Unity - Google found the website and I had a prospect: Shadowgun By MADFINGER Games. Found it quickly on Google Play and it downloaded NO PROBLEM. Opened it up and played it - NO PROBLEM. Couldn't believe it could be that easy so I un installed it, changed the settings back and tried it again. There it was - the error, changed settings to internal and sdcard - installed. It seems like the Google Play 50mb download limit issue is actually an internal system issue. Even after all this I hesitated to download the game I actually wanted.
Thought about reasons why it wouldn't work for a couple of days. Played the demo as I thought about it until I wore out and mastered the levels. Kinda gave me a reason to try out my easy solution. Even after poking holes in my system settings experiment I still had doubts but they were only uneasy feelings. Defense Zone HD downloaded flawlessly on the internal sdcard settings and I'm still entertained.
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
New Android phone transfer exchange - backup and restore.
I liked my Neobox Tuna Android 4.0.3 phone so much that when the new model came out, with a dual processor and 4.0.4 OS, I figured out a way to justify the purchase. After all, I just had to have it. Those cheap, open root phones from Hong Kong are cadget heaven and satisfy my need to tinker. They are more like a tiny computer than a phone.
After fixing a small issue with the G-Sensor, I noticed how improved the phone was. I had planned to give the first phone to my girlfriend and use the second one but it's hard to start ALL OVER without a little apprehension. Since I had actually planned this little swap I started looking for tools that would make the transition easier.
I've always used a custom home screen launcher and the introduction of Android ICS coinsided with a new one on Google Play called Holo Launcher by MOBINT Software. It allows for customizing menu's and icons, that's a must for me - it also has a backup for the settings and desktop shortcuts. I also use a note program called ColorNote by NOTES and Bookmark Folders by DYNAMICG and both of these have backup solutions also so getting back up and running wasn't going to be too bad.
Initially I downloaded App Backup and Restore by INFOLIFE LLC, it worked great. It backs up all your apps as they are installed. Restoring them was easy also - so I had my plan. Backup everything to my SD card and then, after a factory reset of my new phone, start reinstalling. Just one more thing before I start, look on Google Play one more time. I was glad I did.
Having a rooted phone is the way to go - there are just so many options. As I looked through all the choices I came across Titanium Backup * root by TITANIUM TRACK, it seemed full featured and got good reviews so I downloaded it too. The reason I chose this program was that it promised to backup programs and all their data. It also indicated that system information would be backed up also. This all inclusive backup was what I wanted - after all I had a few games that I wanted to save my progress on.
Titanium Backup is a little intimidating - system warnings popped up continuously even after I set the usual debug and installation location settings. There is just an over abundance of options and menu's and I really only end up using a couple of the batch commands. It does try to get you to use a donate version and a pro version but I'm not sure what they do. My experience was simple, I set the settings on my phone based on the warnings and at the main screen labeled ALL, I selected my phones menu button, which brings up the Main Menu. Then selected the Batch Actions - ALL menu that has a number of command groups, I used one command under "Backup" and one under "Restore".
The Batch Actions - ALL menu lists the commands in groups and each command contains the number of affected items scanned and listed on the right. Since I wanted to move everything to my new phone I looked for the highest number located to the right of "Backup all user apps + system data". I then selected the "RUN" button to the left. The program then began backing up all my data to the directory that I had set on my SD card.
I had done some practice runs on my new phone so I did a factory reset, transfered my sim cards and memory card to my new phone. Since I still had "Backup and Restore" program backups, I installed the Titanium APK file from its backup directory and launched the program. I insured the settings on my new one reflect the same settings as on my old phone then went back to the Batch Actions - ALL menu. I went directly to the "Restore" category and found the highest number again on the right - it was next to the "Restore all apps with data" selection. I chose the "RUN" command and set back to wait.
Wow - it did not disappoint. Everything looked just like my old phone and worked just like my old phone. My games retained their levels and there was no setup to do on anything. The only thing that did not transfer were my VPN network selections - no big deal. Since I had so much time not spent on reinstalling all my apps and settings I downloaded Open VPN and setup all my servers. The most amazing thing - even my old wallpaper was there. Titanium Backup is Awsomeness!!!!