Race, Sex, Your Vote

I am saddened that in 2008, many people will decide how to vote based on nothing more than race or gender.

If you choose not to vote for Barack Obama, let it be because you disagree with his positions, not because he is African-American. Conversely, a vote for Obama shouldn't be cast for no reason other than he is a black man.

Should you choose to vote for John McCain, let it be because he reflects your beliefs, not because he selected a woman as his running mate.

This election is far too important to allow your vote to be determined based on emotional, shallow reasoning. Educate yourself about the candidates and what they stand for. Vote with your brain. Decide who you do want to be your next president, not who you don't want.

Keystone State Summer

Store, Share, and Sync Your Files with DropBox

DropBox is a new free Web 2.0 cross-platform application that allows you to quickly and easily store files both on your computer's hard drive and online. This means you will always have two up-to-date copies of every file in at least two different locations. There's nothing new to learn, nothing special to do. Save and open files to and from your DropBox folder just as you would any other folder. Create sub-folders in the DropBox folder to keep your files organized. No need to remember to copy files to a portable USB drive anymore. You can also share files with friends and colleagues by invitation, no need to email files to yourself or others.

But the best feature of DropBox is that it also keeps your files synced across all the computers you use. Edit a file that's in your DropBox folder and when you save it, the file stored online will update the changes automatically. If you move to a different computer, the edited file will be synced to that computer with no action needed on your part. It's that simple. For someone like me who may use 3 or 4 different computers on different platforms in the course of a day, this is a blessing.

Your DropBox folder works exactly like every other folder on your computer's hard drive. You can quickly access your DropBox folder by simply clicking the DropBox icon in the Windows task bar or Mac menu bar.

Learn more about DropBox by taking the tour.

It comes in Mac, Windows, and Linux flavors. DropBox will make your life simpler. Promise.

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Secure Your MacBook

iAlertU from SlappingTurtle Software is a free application to secure your MacBook computer in public places like cafes or meeting rooms. iAlertU is like a car alarm for your laptop which uses the built-in sudden motion sensor device of the MacBook.

iAlertU can be armed using either the keyboard or the remote. Movement of the MacBook or keyboard/trackpad activity will trigger an audible alarm that will continue sounding even if the computer is closed. The MacBook's built-in iSight camera will snap a photo of the villain and email it to a specified address.

Why Do I Pay My Taxes and My Bills?

Why do I bother to pay my taxes? Why do I get my bills paid on time?

I ask myself these questions every time I hear or see one of those ads that purport to be able to settle your IRS or creditor debts for pennies on the dollar. If these ads are to be believed, I should just ignore my taxes and max-out all my credit cards, then get these guys to settle my accounts for a fraction of what I owe.

The Integrity of the 162-game Schedule

Last week, while I was watching part of the Olympic baseball coverage, I listened to the broadcasters talking about the possibility of representing the US with major league players, our best players, as we do in basketball and hockey.

I had previously thought about this point myself. Sending NBA players to the Olympics doesn't really conflict with the NBA regular season, but the NHL season must take a two-week hiatus to allow their players to compete in the Olympics. Such would be the case with major league baseball.

The broadcasters considered this point and agreed that "the integrity of the 162-game schedule must be protected." What the heck is that supposed to mean? Might it destroy MLB if once every four years the schedule were to be adjusted to accommodate Olympic participation by the best baseball players in the world, not only for the US but other nations as well?

Cybersecurity: Where do McCain and Obama Stand?

"It is no longer sufficient for the U.S. Government to discover cyber intrusions in its networks, clean up the damage, and take legal or political steps to deter further intrusions," Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell noted in a February 2008 threat assessment.

Information systems have become the backbone of our economy, our government agencies, energy, healthcare, food supply, and nearly everything else we do. As such, these systems have become the targets of both criminals and terrorists, and perhaps even foreign governments.

What are the positions of the presidential candidates regarding this very real emerging threat to our national security?

Senator Obama has stated that he will make cyber-security a top priority, appointing a national cyber advisor to synchronize policy. Senator McCain has said that a much greater investment toward the federal responsibility for cybersecurity is needed.

For more information:
Cybersecurity and the National Campaign, SC Magazine
US Pesidential Candidates to Tackle Cybersecurity, Softpedia
A plea to McCain and Obama: No Cyber Security Boondoggles, NetworkWorld
Which Presidential Candidate Has the Better Cyber Security Position, Hybrid Consulting Group

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The USS Requin

The USS Requin, named for a sand shark, was commissioned in April 1945 and remained in service until December 1968. In August 1990, she was loaded onto barges in Baton Rouge, LA, for her trip up the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers to Pittsburgh. She arrived at the Carnegie Science Center on the 4th of September and was dedicated and opened for tours on October 20, 1990.

The Requin had a crew of 10 officers and 71 crewmen squeezed into a boat just over 311 feet in length with a width of a bit more than 27 feet. With a range of 11,000 nautical miles, she could be at sea on patrol for up to 75 days.

Pictures from Requin

How To Choose A Safe Reusable Water Bottle

How To Choose A Safe Reusable Water Bottle from The Good Human explains how to select a reusable water bottle and why that choice matters to you and the environment.

RoboShooter

Need a solid shooting guard for your team? Check out this guy from Pittsburgh. He never misses!