Tag: POTUS

Sunday Paper

Reihan Salam writes about ways to save the Republican Party from self-destruction.

What defenders of the Republican status quo fail to realize is that unless the party speaks to the interests of working-class voters, they won’t just face slightly higher capital gains taxes or more wasteful spending under a Hillary Clinton administration. They will face a backlash from within that threatens to profoundly damage a party that, at its best, is a champion of the core social and economic institutions that made America great in the first place.
- Reihan Salim writing for Slate.

The Republican party is finished.

Trump is fundamentally not conservative. Trump represents an active disdain toward limited government and individual rights, toward the rule of law, and toward an aspirational view of the United States. Trump’s implicit—and often explicit—appeals to white nationalism, and his attacks on non-whites, reject an America defined by a shared love of liberty and belief in the power of the individual and community. In its place, Trumpism substitutes a respect for “white” culture and history, where whites have given light to a world in perpetual darkness. Institutions are not to be trusted because they are rigged against whites. Instead, Trump—the champion of disaffected whites—should be trusted, and he should be trusted with extraordinary powers to make this country great again.
- The Party After Trump

Sometimes I get into a state of despair regarding my photography. I want to get that great shot so I pull out PhotoPills and The Photographer's Ephemeris and I plan and plan. Hours spent planning.

Most of this seems extremely counterintuitive. But as you get more experience with photography, you’ll start to understand. Sometimes you just have to get somewhere and wait – and wait – and wait. If you move too early or if you simply chase the next great thing, the fantastic stuff probably will happen in the place you just left.
- Scott Borne

Do you sometimes suffer from Imposter Syndrome?

... the anxiety kicks in. It’s bubbling away as I try to elaborate more. All the gremlins come out and question the thoughts I’ve put down. My mind is racing, body tensing up, foot incessantly tapping away; I feel like everything is crowding round me as I’m simply trying to write things down.

I get to that point where I just think “Sod it! Delete everything. It’s not worth it.”

Here’s the hard part. Don’t! Keep going. Continue writing, editing, refining. Sleep on it.
- Beating Imposter Syndrome – Si Jobling

Geek Mental Health

Here’s why I work in an office: when I’m around other people — it doesn’t matter who they are — I feel a constant low-simmering level of anxiety. And I find it extremely difficult to be productive when I feel any level of anxiety at all.
- Source: inessential: Open Floor Plans

Me too. I don't have an office.

In the 1990s I worked in an office with an open floor plan. No walls. Shared desk space. Glass conference rooms. I quit after 11 months. I did not have another job lined.

Is hate a learned behavior?

Part of the answer lies in the fact that we think of ourselves in a specific way. If we cannot reach a consensus, then the other side, which is in some way different from us, must necessarily be uncooperative for our assumptions about our own qualities to hold true.

Our inability to examine the situation from all sides and shake our beliefs, together with self-justifying behavior, can lead us to conclude that others are the problem. Such asymmetric views, amplified by strong perceived differences, often fuel hate.
- Read more at: Farnam Street

Mr. Robot and cyber security ethics.

While the depiction of cyber security ethics in “Mr. Robot” is a somewhat overdramatic Hollywood rendition, it is not totally dissimilar to the real-world ethical challenges security professionals frequently encounter in the field. Through both deliberate and unintentional actions, a cybersecurity professional can criss-cross the often complex and delicate ethical line. Like Malek’s character in “Mr. Robot,” even the smallest diversion in the nuances of ethical decision-making could open a can of worms with far-reaching consequences, potentially putting the business, customer base and individual at risk.
- Tough Challenges in Cybersecurity Ethics

Given what Apple has recently done with that iPhone 7, writer Riccardo Mori is concerned about rumors that the next iteration of the MacBook Pro will have only four ports.

Look, I’m not saying that Apple should keep all kinds of ports available until every associated technology is way past its performance and usefulness. I’m not saying that USB-C is a bad choice per se. It’s a fast and versatile connection. Having the same port on both sides of the machine means, for example, that you’re no longer forced to attach the power cable (or an external display) on the left of the Mac. But unless I also purchase a new display and new peripherals with the USB-C connector — and why should I, given that everything I have now still works just fine? — I’ll have to resort to dongles.

...

Anyway, for the first time in years, I’m considering going back to a desktop Mac as my primary work machine.
- The dongle game

I bought my 27" iMac in 2013. It has two Thunderbolt ports and four USB 3 ports. It has a 3.5mm headphone jack and SD card slot. It has an Ethernet port. Lots of ports. Other than a $60 of Thunderbolt to FireWire adapters to connect my four external FireWire 800 drives, the transition was painless. My hard drives didn't need to be replaced. My USB equipped medical equipment work fine. So do my USB thumb drives and my portable USB drive.

I'm pretty sure the next iteration of the iMac will lose the headphone jack in favor of a Lightning port. The four USB 3 ports will be replaced by four USB-C ports. The SD card will be removed. Maybe the Thunderbolt ports will be retained. That's nice. I would be able to use my drives as they are today. But I'll need adapters for all the other devices.

I'll wait and see.

Facial recognition systems have a disproportionate impact on Communities of Color. One study, which included an FBI researcher, found the technology is less reliable when analyzing African American faces. Because African

Sunday Paper

Pastor Drew Downs writing about criticism of people protesting about police abuse.

Imagine if a big chunk of the American public responded to the long-term, systemic problem of clergy sex abuse in the Catholic Church with excuses. Saying that priests were justified; they felt threatened or had a rational reason to break the law and destroy another person’s life. Imagine if we argued that we shouldn’t make such a big deal out of the abuse because it makes it harder for priests to do their jobs. #priestlivesmatter. Pastor Drew Downs

Jan Dawson on Apple's decision to remove the 3.5 mm headphone jack. I think he's making the argument that the headphone jack wasn't "good enough" for Apple.

I believe there’s something about products which have strong personal associations — such as smartphones, cars, clothing, and other luxury goods — which makes them stubbornly resistant to low-end disruption. Our use of these products says something about us and using cheaper imitators may not convey the message we want. The job to be done of smartphones and other similar products, then, goes beyond their obvious functions and is another reason why “good enough” isn’t good enough for at least some buyers who can afford to be more discriminating. This continues to be one of many fascinating aspects of the smartphone market which separate it from the rest of the consumer electronics industry and continue to make it such an interesting one to follow. Jan Dawson - Founder and Chief Analyst at Jackdaw

A colleague and I were just discussing this via SMS.

… the fundamental problem with digital ID&V if it is time-consuming and challenging then it significantly detracts from the very convenience digital commerce is supposed to bring. Infosec Island

Are Cable’s Wireless Ambitions Viable? I don't know.

The question is, do Comcast and Charter have a chance in an already competitive and saturated wireless market? Well-respected equity research analysts at New Street Research have looked at this in depth and concluded cable could capture some 10% or more of the wireless market. I see some important hurdles and am a little less optimistic.MARK LOWENSTEIN

Powerful. Please click the link to read more.

Why was it treason when the Dixie Chicks didn’t like George W. Bush, but you can laugh at caricatures of our Commander in Chief, depicted in overalls, eating watermelon in the Oval Office while the First Lady, a woman of infinite class and enviable arms, stands by in a dotted headscarf, like she stepped right off a bottle of syrup, and call it freedom of speech?So, Which Is It? – It's Fine.

What’s the most loving thing you can do?

Each time I’m about to act, the best thing I can do is ask that question: What’s the most loving thing you can do in this situation? I might not always remember, but when I do, it is always a helpful question.Leo Babauta

Brian Krebs on Internet censorship.

… events of the past week have convinced me that one of the fastest-growing censorship threats on the Internet today comes not from nation-states, but from super-empowered individuals who have been quietly building extremely potent cyber weapons with transnational reach.Brian Krebs