Archive for May 2005 - Page 1

    Miscellaneous things

    I took the final quiz tonight for class, I got a 94.8%.. so I can't argue. I also took a practice final, and I got a 96.4% on that, can't argue with that either.


    Here are some lyrics I thought some of you would enjoy, it's from Brad Paisley, it's a song called Alcohol.



    Alcohol - Brad Paisley


    Genre/Lang. : Country

    I can make anybody pretty.
    I can make you believe any lie.
    I can make you pick a fight with somebody twice your size.
    Well, I’ve been known to cause a few break-ups,
    An' I’ve been known to cause a few births.
    Well, I can make you new friends, or get you fired from work.

    And since the day I left Milwaukee,
    Lynchburg an' Bordeaux, France,
    Been making the bars lots of big money,
    An' helpin' white people dance.
    I got you in trouble in High School,
    But College, now that was a ball.
    You had some of the best times you’ll never remember with me:
    Alcohol; Alcohol.

    I got blamed at your wedding reception,
    For your best man’s embarrassing speech.
    And also for those naked pictures of you at the beach.
    I’ve influenced Kings and world leaders,
    I helped Hemingway write like he did.
    And I’ll bet you a drink or two, that I can make you put that lampshade on your head.

    ‘Cause since the day I left Milwaukee,
    Lynchburg and Bordeaux, France,
    I been making a fool out of folks just like you,
    An' helping white people dance.
    I am medicine and I am poison,
    I can help you up or make you fall.
    You had some of the best times you’ll never remember with me:
    Alcohol.

    Yeah, since the day I left Milwaukee,
    Lynchburg an' Bordeaux, France,
    Been making the bars lots of big money,
    (Helpin' white people dance.)
    Yeah, I got you in trouble in High School,
    But College, now that was a ball.
    You had some of the best times you’ll never remember with me:
    Alcohol; Alcohol.

    (Alcohol.)
    (Alcohol.)
    Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na.
    Na, na, na, na, na, na, na.

    To Fade.

    Posted: May 28, 2005 at 3:10 AM
    Tags:

    Work and the like

    Work today was hectic, I was downtown for less than an hour, headed out to our West Branch to update the anti-virus clients, that took a while, because of a few problems. Then I headed back to Eola to update some of those computers, and look at a computer that won't eject a cd, but I couldn't get to it, it was in use.


    School was ok, I had trouble paying attention because of all of the talking, but oh well. I did alright on the Quiz tonight, I got a 94.6%, so that brings my average to 94.57%, so I can't really argue too much at all.

    Posted: May 26, 2005 at 12:02 AM
    Tags:

    work, school, and the like

    Today at work was just another day at work, except there was no air conditioning in the computer room today, like 90º, not very good for any computer equipment....


    school was school, per usual, I got a 95.7% on my quiz tonight, I can't argue. a lot of information... only two classes left for this term... then starts summer... how fun...


    The Naper-Po are out in force tonight, I saw 5 on my way home, 2 had one guy pulled over, 2 had another pulled over, and a single lonely po was sitting in the middle of the road, probably trying to catch speeders.... oh well....

    Posted: May 24, 2005 at 12:46 AM
    Tags:

    My day plus an interesting story...

    Well today was just another day here in A-Town.... I went to get my haircut, went to Dominick's Grocery store, went to COD to pay my tuition, and mowed the lawn... not a whole lot got done today..... But I did manage to read this article in the Chicago Tribune Today...


    Library card? Check. Fingerprint? Really?
    Citing security, Naperville libraries will make patrons prove their identities
    before using computers. Privacy advocates fear misuse of the data.

    By James Kimberly
    Tribune staff reporter
    Published May 20, 2005


    Before long, patrons wanting to use Naperville Public Library System computers
    without a hassle will have to prove their identity with a fingerprint.

    The three-library system this week signed a $40,646 contract with a local
    company, U.S. Biometrics Corp., to install fingerprint scanners on 130 computers
    with Internet access or a time limit on usage.

    The decision, according to the American Library Association, makes Naperville
    only the second library system in the country to install fingerprint scanners.

    Library officials say the added security is necessary to ensure people who are
    using the computers are who they say they are.

    Officials promise to protect the confidentiality of the fingerprint records.

    But with Congress contemplating an expansion of the USA Patriot Act, which gives
    federal authorities access to confidential library records, and cameras watching
    the streets some Chicagoans drive or the sidewalks they stroll, privacy
    advocates are concerned about yet another erosion of personal liberty.

    We take people's fingerprints because we think they might be guilty of
    something, not because they want to use the library, said Ed Yohnka, spokesman
    for the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois.

    Yohnka said Naperville may mean well, but that does not mean the technology
    won't be used for something else at a later date.

    You're creating just another database of information about people, Yohnka
    said. I'm sure they started out with the best of intentions of not sharing this
    information, but the reality is sometimes intentions go awry.

    Currently patrons use their library cards and personal identification numbers to
    access the computers.

    That will change once the scanners are installed. The glass-topped, silver metal
    boxes about the size of a package of Tic-Tacs read the print on a patron's index
    finger and use an algorithm to convert at least 15 specific points into a unique
    numeric sequence.

    Once a patron's fingerprint has been recorded, accessing a computer will require
    only the touch of a finger.

    Library Deputy Director Mark West said the system will be implemented over the
    summer beginning with a public education campaign in June. West said he is
    confident the public will embrace the technology once it learns its limitations.

    The stored numeric data cannot be used to reconstruct a fingerprint, West said,
    nor can it be cross-referenced with other fingerprint databases such as those
    kept by the FBI or the Illinois State Police.

    Right now we give you a library card with a bar code attached to it. This is
    just a bar code, but it's built in, West said.

    Last May, when Naperville police demanded the account information of a man who
    had fondled himself in front of teenagers while viewing pornography in the
    computer lab at Nichols Library, the library refused to release the information
    without a subpoena, citing the Illinois Library Records Confidentiality Act.

    Naperville police obtained the subpoena and later arrested Richard Blaszak, 35,
    of Naperville.

    In January, Blaszak pleaded guilty to public indecency and was sentenced to 2
    years of probation. He is prohibited by court order from using computers in
    DuPage County libraries during his probation.

    During the investigation of the incident, library officials discovered that many
    patrons logged onto library computers using library cards and passwords of
    friends or relatives. That realization, coupled with a new library policy that
    allows parents to install automatic Internet filters on their children's
    accounts, prompted the search for better computer security, West said.

    West said he had to be convinced that the technology would protect patron
    privacy before he would recommend it to the Library Board.


    Confidentiality and privacy [are] my middle name, West said.

    West said the library is requiring a fingerprint to set up computer access,
    although patrons who object could ask a staff member to log them on to a
    computer.

    I'm sure we won't turn anybody away who refuses to use the technology, but in
    all honesty, it will be more cumbersome, West said.

    The American Library Association said only one other system uses
    fingerprint-scanning technology: the Buffalo-Erie County Library System, a
    collection of 52 public libraries that serves 400,000 people in upstate New
    York.

    Ann Kling, support services manager, said the library launched a fingerprint
    recognition program at the main library in downtown Buffalo in 2001.

    The library offers fingerprint scans as an optional replacement for library
    cards. The system is limited to the library in downtown Buffalo and consequently
    only 1,787 patrons use it, Kling said.

    Because the use of the technology is so limited, American Library Association
    officials said the organization has not taken an official stand on it.

    Deborah Caldwell-Stone, deputy director of the ALA's office of intellectual
    freedom, acknowledged that requiring a fingerprint scan might dissuade some
    people from using library computers.

    There are going to be folks who come from different political situations, folks
    who come out of Central Europe who have had a history of living under
    authoritative regimes who may not be comfortable with this, Caldwell-Stone
    said.

    But Caldwell-Stone said libraries already collect all kinds of personal
    information from patrons and at some point must be trusted to protect it.

    U.S. Biometrics President Dave Delgrosso said his company's technology is
    seeping into the mainstream, popping up in banks, hospitals and other
    institutions where exact identifications are important.

    Link To Tribune Site


    Now I'm wondering why they are installing this, have patrons really asked for this... there are definately less expensive and more profound ways to implement better security for patrons, and their privacy.... now, how is one to know that they on't track where you've been going while using one of their computers... does this affect their wireless usage at all? All valid questions.... although I don't need to use any of their internet computers, since I have my own..


    any thoughts....

    Posted: May 21, 2005 at 1:26 AM
    Tags:

    work school and the like

    Well today just sucked.... I didn't get enough sleep, of course nothing new....


    I get to work, nothing new, only one person showed up for training this morning... that was for like 5 minutes to ask two questions.... oh well.... I informed my boss about a particularly nagging problem with USB thumb drives on the second floor downtown... weird how it only affects those computers....


    I tried doing more work for our Summer Reading programs which is only 3 weeks until it starts, but I was basically informed, by my boss, that Summer Reading Program isn't top priority and that I had to go look at something that could have waited until the full-timer came in at 12:30, but no, of course not... like always, my opinion doesn't mean anything, nor does what I think is important mean anything to anybody at work, despite the director saying that summer reading program is supposed to be my top priority... oh well, I think I'll let the director know about this on Wednesday


    School was boring per usual, because the substitute instructor we have is not that interesting to listen to when he lectures... I did manage to get a 95.7% on my quiz, so I can't complain.


    the only good thing about today, is no work or school tomorrow... none, nada, nill, null....

    Posted: May 17, 2005 at 1:48 AM
    Tags:

    Work

    Work today was sort of slow at first, but then it got exceedingly hellish....


    I started off downtown today, wasn't anything that bad, I had 3 people show up to training, not too bad...


    I edit an ASP page for the Genealogy index we have, nothing too difficult, just eh....


    Then I headed to lunch, not too interesting either....


    I had to fix the children's PCs, because they wouldn't print. one of the circulation computers wasn't working properly with the domain, had to look at that. A PC in the lab's screen doesn't look right, I have a feeling that's going...


    Side Note: Jewel, ELAB5's monitor color is off, there's not a lot that can be done about it....


    Then I had to try and setup a laptop and project for a program tomorrow.... this is when it really went downhill.... I can't find the connection between the network connection and the laptop... not a good thing, since the program is about Ebay, and internet is required to do a program about that....


    anyway, right now I'm formatting the hard drive for the family computer since Windows did not want to load at all last night, I've saved what needed to be saved, and the rest doesn't matter...

    Posted: May 15, 2005 at 1:37 AM
    Tags:

    None

    Yes I know there's no title to this....


    Today was a big waste all around, didn't do anything special today... I played Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast and beat it... then I started playing Quake, but I had to get ready for work....


    On to Work.... I didn't do a whole heck of a lot at work today, I did help a few people, and I did make notes of UPS's. I did find a new YA book that was interesting.... No, not just the cover is interesting, so far the story line is as well... although the cover didn't hurt in grabbing attention. I'll let everybody know how good it is....

    Posted: May 13, 2005 at 12:51 AM
    Tags:

    My Day

    Well Today was just another day in Aurora....


    I didn't want to go to work this morning, and I'm still not fully awake.... oh well...


    it was raining on my way to work, so that kept traffic slow, it took me like 20 minutes to get to work, how sad....


    I didn't do a whole lot while at work, except now I have to work on making a Genealogy database into something viewable for patrons... this will be fun.... that's the word for it, right....


    after work, I went to the store, but I didn't buy anything of consequence to really matter...


    then I sat around playing games until like 3:30, at which point I got ready to go to school, which was a nightmare.... anybody who was around ogden just east of the railroad tracks, between long grove and frontenac will understand...


    there was an accident, involving a mustang, and mini-van, and an SUV, coincidentally, all of the cars were white... really strange, now that I think about it... so that slowed traffic, not to mention the two cop cars that went speeding by, they didn't help either.


    school: this guy asked to borrow my cell phone to make a couple of calls, of course I say yes, he read me the number, and it sounded familiar, but it didn't occur to me until after I got a text message from my friend, B... (yes jewel, I'm starting to use your style with names).... she asked if I let a friend of her's, use my cell phone to make a call, so it didnt' occur to me until I look afterwards, and saw the he called B, very serendiptious...


    our regular teacher wasn't at class, and won't be for the next two weeks, the sub isn't too bad, not as entertaining though.... oh well... but I did manage to get a 95% on my quiz, so I can't argue.... that makes my average 94.2%... it's not 100% like I would like, but I guess I really can't argue..... but oh well... I'm going to anyway....


    that's been my day... any comments?

    Posted: May 10, 2005 at 1:21 AM
    Tags:

    Work and School

    Well I was running around at work all day today, it was sort of annoying. Up and down stairs all day, gets to be tiring after a while....


    School was repetitive again, per usual. but I did manage to get a 96.4% on my quiz tonight, so I guess I can't argue... I'm going to watch West Wing some more now.

    Posted: May 5, 2005 at 12:04 AM
    Tags: