In 1966 my first serious job was as a punch card operator at an insurance company that had an IBM 1401. There I learned to plug the control panels for the IBM 77 collator. I registered for a programming course at a community college where I learned to program in assembler on an IBM 1130. That was the best return on $20 that I ever had. That course led to a job programming business applications in assembler on an IBM 360/30. That led to programming CICS applications in the days when IBM licenced it free to any business that was interested and ultimately to systems programmer positions overseas.
That initial $20 paid my mortgage, put my two sons through university, paid my way around the world twice.
For me, the amazing thing is the parallel between how modern physicists are describing the very beginnings of the universe and the narrative of Genesis written thousands of years ago.
The Guardian Weekly is the only newspaper I read regualarly, and almost completely. I have done for about 20 years.
I find it unequalled in breadth of coverage, geographically, politically, economicall, environmentally. It covers many places and issues that fall off the radar of other sound-byte oriented media. And it's courageous - Edward Snowden's revelations, the Rupert Murdoch cell phone hacking scandal, the British MP financial abuse,...
O, I agree. I am just trying to express my dismay at the recent trend in many western countries to tolerate parties and elect them to govern when they follow the Chinese model for ways to hold and increase their power.
Ideologically driven politicians are more alike than different, no matter what theiir nominal orientation, be it 'socialist' or 'capitalist'. As are religious fanatics, be they 'Muslim', 'Christian', 'Hindu' or 'Jew'.
And I can still express my opinions on forums such as this, using my proper name, with little fear of reprisals from the government.
- Erny
In Canada our Conservative government has very similar policies. Using legislative process that suppressed scrutiny and debate it scrapped many environmental protection laws and regulations, eviscerated government science and oversight programs. It muzzles what scientists still remain buy requiring anyone in the civil service or or on contract with the government to receive approval from the Prime Minister's office before making any statement to the public. It even imposes these restrictions on non-Canadian agencies that need government approval to do research in Canada.
That's what happens when ideologues get in control.
- Erny
The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy immediately came to mind. Fact emulates fiction....
So who are the white mice? Has anyone seen a porpoise recently?
To paraphrase Winston Churchill, "Linux has the worst documentation, except for all those other OSs that I have had the frustration of trying to understand from time to time."
- Erny
Slashdot Mirror
In 1966 my first serious job was as a punch card operator at an insurance company that had an IBM 1401. There I learned to plug the control panels for the IBM 77 collator. I registered for a programming course at a community college where I learned to program in assembler on an IBM 1130. That was the best return on $20 that I ever had. That course led to a job programming business applications in assembler on an IBM 360/30. That led to programming CICS applications in the days when IBM licenced it free to any business that was interested and ultimately to systems programmer positions overseas. That initial $20 paid my mortgage, put my two sons through university, paid my way around the world twice.
For me, the amazing thing is the parallel between how modern physicists are describing the very beginnings of the universe and the narrative of Genesis written thousands of years ago.
If it moves, shoot it.
The Guardian Weekly is the only newspaper I read regualarly, and almost completely. I have done for about 20 years. I find it unequalled in breadth of coverage, geographically, politically, economicall, environmentally. It covers many places and issues that fall off the radar of other sound-byte oriented media. And it's courageous - Edward Snowden's revelations, the Rupert Murdoch cell phone hacking scandal, the British MP financial abuse, ...
That's what I use for just that same situation. It plugs into the USB port on my Samsung TV. I point it at a shared directory on my file server. Done.
And do they also share corresponding information with the Egyptian, Jordanian, Saudi or Lebanese government agencies?
O, I agree. I am just trying to express my dismay at the recent trend in many western countries to tolerate parties and elect them to govern when they follow the Chinese model for ways to hold and increase their power. Ideologically driven politicians are more alike than different, no matter what theiir nominal orientation, be it 'socialist' or 'capitalist'. As are religious fanatics, be they 'Muslim', 'Christian', 'Hindu' or 'Jew'. And I can still express my opinions on forums such as this, using my proper name, with little fear of reprisals from the government. - Erny
In Canada our Conservative government has very similar policies. Using legislative process that suppressed scrutiny and debate it scrapped many environmental protection laws and regulations, eviscerated government science and oversight programs. It muzzles what scientists still remain buy requiring anyone in the civil service or or on contract with the government to receive approval from the Prime Minister's office before making any statement to the public. It even imposes these restrictions on non-Canadian agencies that need government approval to do research in Canada. That's what happens when ideologues get in control. - Erny
The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy immediately came to mind. Fact emulates fiction ....
So who are the white mice? Has anyone seen a porpoise recently?
To paraphrase Winston Churchill, "Linux has the worst documentation, except for all those other OSs that I have had the frustration of trying to understand from time to time." - Erny