I lost control of my desktop when my children gave me a Cisco hub which I could use to connect my Kindle which they gave me to the internet. My apartment has an Ethernet port which connects me to the Internet. Connecting everything in my apartment via “Wi-Fi” is “convenient”.
My youngest daughter and her husband probably used my computer to setup the hub. When I got control of my computer my son-in-law had done something with my computer that got Godzilla thinking AOL was my homepage. I don’t like Godzilla (aka FireFox by Mozilla). I have been a user of AOL mail since the Creation.
My oldest daughter is a things person. She things a persons activity should be monitored by a Fitbit Flex.
She thinks that photographs should be displayed in a Frame.
Thursday, October 1, 2015
Thursday, September 10, 2015
Fair and Equitable
Divorce laws in the United States of America are now no-fault in all the states. New York went "no-fault" in 2010.
The states are divided into two groups:
Community Property states (e.g., California)
Fair and Equitable states (e.g., Florida)
Community Property states treat almost all assets and debts obtained during the marriage as marital property (belonging to the “marital community”) regardless of which spouse is the formal owner. Assets and debts acquired prior to the marriage or after separation are characterized as separate property. In community property states, marital community assets and debts are typically divided equally upon divorce and separate property is awarded to the original owner.
"Fair and Equitable Treatment" is such an important concept that there should be an International Standard defining it. There is Fair and Equitable Treatment.
Florida courts should not be allowed to be less "Fair and Equitable" in their Treatment of no-fault spouses than an International Investor.
The states are divided into two groups:
Community Property states (e.g., California)
Fair and Equitable states (e.g., Florida)
Community Property states treat almost all assets and debts obtained during the marriage as marital property (belonging to the “marital community”) regardless of which spouse is the formal owner. Assets and debts acquired prior to the marriage or after separation are characterized as separate property. In community property states, marital community assets and debts are typically divided equally upon divorce and separate property is awarded to the original owner.
"Fair and Equitable Treatment" is such an important concept that there should be an International Standard defining it. There is Fair and Equitable Treatment.
Florida courts should not be allowed to be less "Fair and Equitable" in their Treatment of no-fault spouses than an International Investor.
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
Where You Stand Should Depend on Where You Sit
I learned about Miles' Law by reading one of the articles in a series of humorous articles written by a professor at Northwestern University in the Operations Research literature.
Rufus E. Miles was a career employee of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW).
As a youngster growing up in the Missouri Ozarks, I thought that principles were something that you stand on and were not subject to "Situational Ethics".
In our hierarchical governmental structure, where you stand does depend on where you sit. During an in-depth discussion with a recently departed friend, I realized that it should depend on where you sit.
My guiding principles include making the playing field as level (fair) as possible and then playing to win.
I also like the Judge Learned Hand quote that goes something like "Every citizen is obligated to pay the minimum tax for which they are legally liable." I have a different perspective on that after a few years of experience working with A. Lonn Henrichsen. He believed and still believes that "the system" would be here long after the current problem was solved.
A bird in hand is worth two in the bush.
The one thing that is clear. It is not obviously wrong to take Federal Government handouts unless you plan to do something sinful with them.
The Road to Hell is paved with Good Intentions.
Be especially suspicious of people who claim (and believe) they are trying to help you.
Rufus E. Miles was a career employee of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW).
As a youngster growing up in the Missouri Ozarks, I thought that principles were something that you stand on and were not subject to "Situational Ethics".
In our hierarchical governmental structure, where you stand does depend on where you sit. During an in-depth discussion with a recently departed friend, I realized that it should depend on where you sit.
My guiding principles include making the playing field as level (fair) as possible and then playing to win.
I also like the Judge Learned Hand quote that goes something like "Every citizen is obligated to pay the minimum tax for which they are legally liable." I have a different perspective on that after a few years of experience working with A. Lonn Henrichsen. He believed and still believes that "the system" would be here long after the current problem was solved.
A bird in hand is worth two in the bush.
The one thing that is clear. It is not obviously wrong to take Federal Government handouts unless you plan to do something sinful with them.
The Road to Hell is paved with Good Intentions.
Be especially suspicious of people who claim (and believe) they are trying to help you.
Friday, July 31, 2015
Expectations for a Professional
The Florida Bar Standing Committee on Professionalism defined professionalism thus,
“Professionalism is the pursuit and practice of the highest ideals and tenets of the legal profession. It embraces far more than simply complying with the minimal standards of professional conduct. The essential ingredients of professionalism are character, competence, commitment, and civility.”
"To The Florida Bar, lawyer professionalism is:
1. embracing a commitment to serve others;
2. dedicating to properly using knowledge and skills to promote a fair and just result;
3. endeavoring to enhance knowledge, skills, and competence;
4. ensuring that concern for a client’s desired result does not subvert the lawyer’s fairness, honesty, civility, respect, and courtesy during interactions with fellow professionals, clients, opponents, public officials, members of the judiciary, or the public;
5. contributing skill, knowledge, and influence to further the profession's commitment to service and the public good, including efforts to provide all persons, regardless of their means or popularity of their causes, with access to the law and the judicial system;
6. enhancing the legal system’s reputation by educating the public about the profession’s capabilities and limits, specifically about what the legal system can achieve and the appropriate methods of obtaining those results; and
7. accepting responsibility for one's own professional conduct and the conduct of others in the profession, including encouraging other lawyers to meet these civility and Professionalism Expectations and fostering peer regulation to ensure that each lawyer is competent and public-spirited. "
Sounds good to me. A little late in joining the human race as evidenced by nothing significant happening with the 1989 and 2013. The current Professional Expectations has only been available since January 2015.
Either Florida and I agree on Professional Expectations or the Devil is in the Details.
“Professionalism is the pursuit and practice of the highest ideals and tenets of the legal profession. It embraces far more than simply complying with the minimal standards of professional conduct. The essential ingredients of professionalism are character, competence, commitment, and civility.”
"To The Florida Bar, lawyer professionalism is:
1. embracing a commitment to serve others;
2. dedicating to properly using knowledge and skills to promote a fair and just result;
3. endeavoring to enhance knowledge, skills, and competence;
4. ensuring that concern for a client’s desired result does not subvert the lawyer’s fairness, honesty, civility, respect, and courtesy during interactions with fellow professionals, clients, opponents, public officials, members of the judiciary, or the public;
5. contributing skill, knowledge, and influence to further the profession's commitment to service and the public good, including efforts to provide all persons, regardless of their means or popularity of their causes, with access to the law and the judicial system;
6. enhancing the legal system’s reputation by educating the public about the profession’s capabilities and limits, specifically about what the legal system can achieve and the appropriate methods of obtaining those results; and
7. accepting responsibility for one's own professional conduct and the conduct of others in the profession, including encouraging other lawyers to meet these civility and Professionalism Expectations and fostering peer regulation to ensure that each lawyer is competent and public-spirited. "
Sounds good to me. A little late in joining the human race as evidenced by nothing significant happening with the 1989 and 2013. The current Professional Expectations has only been available since January 2015.
Either Florida and I agree on Professional Expectations or the Devil is in the Details.
Saturday, July 4, 2015
The Flag to the Flags
Fifty American flags (not state flags), one for
each state, are now flown 24 hours a day around a large circle centered on the Washington Monument on the National Mall in Washington, DC.
How did such a violation of The Flag Code come about? Wikipedia's entry on the Washington Monument provides clues.
Since 1920, Forty eight American flags (one for each state then in existence) were flown on wooden flag poles on Washington's birthday. Sometime later on Independence Day, Memorial Day, and other special occasions were added. Both the flags and flag poles were removed and stored between these days
In 1958 fifty 25-foot (7.6 m) tall aluminum flag poles (anticipating Alaska and Hawaii) were installed, evenly spaced around a 260-foot (79 m) diameter circle. Since Washington's birthday 1958, 48 American flags were flown on a daily basis, increasing to 49 flags on July 4, 1959, and then to 50 flags since July 4, 1960. When 48 and 49 flags were flown, only 48 and 49 flag poles of the available 50 were placed into base receptacles.
All flags were removed and stored overnight.
During 2004–05, the diameter of the circle was reduced to 240 feet (73 m).
This is a longer story than I have planned for this column today. Details are available in Washington Monument reference 92: Michael D. Hoover, The origins and history of the Washington Monument flag display, 1992
As usual, the bad guys include Congress and Richard M. Nixon
How did such a violation of The Flag Code come about? Wikipedia's entry on the Washington Monument provides clues.
Since 1920, Forty eight American flags (one for each state then in existence) were flown on wooden flag poles on Washington's birthday. Sometime later on Independence Day, Memorial Day, and other special occasions were added. Both the flags and flag poles were removed and stored between these days
In 1958 fifty 25-foot (7.6 m) tall aluminum flag poles (anticipating Alaska and Hawaii) were installed, evenly spaced around a 260-foot (79 m) diameter circle. Since Washington's birthday 1958, 48 American flags were flown on a daily basis, increasing to 49 flags on July 4, 1959, and then to 50 flags since July 4, 1960. When 48 and 49 flags were flown, only 48 and 49 flag poles of the available 50 were placed into base receptacles.
All flags were removed and stored overnight.
Since July 4, 1971, 50 American flags have flown 24 hours a day.
During 2004–05, the diameter of the circle was reduced to 240 feet (73 m).
This is a longer story than I have planned for this column today. Details are available in Washington Monument reference 92: Michael D. Hoover, The origins and history of the Washington Monument flag display, 1992
As usual, the bad guys include Congress and Richard M. Nixon
Friday, June 26, 2015
Evolution of System Development
In the 1970s, Tom Demarco believed that we should spend a significant amount of time developing a description of the "current system". This meshed well with the development of Information Systems in accordance with DoD Standard 7935A.
About 2000, Tom Demarco revisited his Structured Systems Analysis methodology and stated that nobody would devote that much time to developing a description of something that needed to be replaced. Countries which could afford a significant defense budget could make faster progress using prototyping. A rich country such as the United States of America could fund thousands of engineers doing fun stuff. Even rich countries had problems funding all their engineers during cyclical economic downturns. The United States of America had a surplus of scientific and engineering professionals during the 1969-71 RETRENCHMENT.
Demarco was right in the late 1970s when information systems science was getting started and he was right about 2000 when Information Systems Engineering was going strong.
MIL-STD 490 A established the format and contents of specifications for program–peculiar configuration items, processes, and materials~. It was published on June 4, 1985. It superseded the previous edition of 30 October 1968.
When a change in scale is involved, it is likely not to be noticed unless one spends a significant amount of time on the current system description. Several changes of scale were involved in developing the System Description for the World-Wide Military Command and Control System (WWMCCS) [pronounced WIMEX].
The WWMCCS accomplished 6 Operational Tasks..These exist in the JCS requirements statement. In general, they accomplish the "military operational process" (sense, analyze, decide, act, communicate) which has been documented in various places. My earliest reference is AD0479368 "Concepts for Command and Control Systems",by Henry M. Parsons and William E. Perry, 23 December 1965.
The sense function included Tactical Warning. One of the first systems to support this function was SAGE.
The Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) was a system of large computers and associated networking equipment that coordinated data from many radar sites and processed it to produce a single unified image of the airspace over a wide area. SAGE directed and controlled the NORAD response to a Soviet air attack, operating in this role from the late 1950s into the 1980s. Its enormous computers and huge displays remain a part of cold war lore, and a common prop in movies such as Dr. Strangelove and Colossus.
The command center displays were upgraded http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a242965.pdf is from the TRW Technology Series and describes this upgrade.
The WWMCCS included separate processes for "conventional" and "nuclear" planning and execution.
The WWMCCS Information System (WIS) was supposed to support the "Warfighters" in the National Military Command System (NMCS) and their command subordinates.
The Massachusetts Mafia won the WIS development contract but could not deliver. The Global Command and Control System (GCCS) was an effort to meet the needs of the NCA and the Warfighters.
About 2000, Tom Demarco revisited his Structured Systems Analysis methodology and stated that nobody would devote that much time to developing a description of something that needed to be replaced. Countries which could afford a significant defense budget could make faster progress using prototyping. A rich country such as the United States of America could fund thousands of engineers doing fun stuff. Even rich countries had problems funding all their engineers during cyclical economic downturns. The United States of America had a surplus of scientific and engineering professionals during the 1969-71 RETRENCHMENT.
Demarco was right in the late 1970s when information systems science was getting started and he was right about 2000 when Information Systems Engineering was going strong.
MIL-STD 490 A established the format and contents of specifications for program–peculiar configuration items, processes, and materials~. It was published on June 4, 1985. It superseded the previous edition of 30 October 1968.
When a change in scale is involved, it is likely not to be noticed unless one spends a significant amount of time on the current system description. Several changes of scale were involved in developing the System Description for the World-Wide Military Command and Control System (WWMCCS) [pronounced WIMEX].
The WWMCCS accomplished 6 Operational Tasks..These exist in the JCS requirements statement. In general, they accomplish the "military operational process" (sense, analyze, decide, act, communicate) which has been documented in various places. My earliest reference is AD0479368 "Concepts for Command and Control Systems",by Henry M. Parsons and William E. Perry, 23 December 1965.
The sense function included Tactical Warning. One of the first systems to support this function was SAGE.
The Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) was a system of large computers and associated networking equipment that coordinated data from many radar sites and processed it to produce a single unified image of the airspace over a wide area. SAGE directed and controlled the NORAD response to a Soviet air attack, operating in this role from the late 1950s into the 1980s. Its enormous computers and huge displays remain a part of cold war lore, and a common prop in movies such as Dr. Strangelove and Colossus.
The command center displays were upgraded http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a242965.pdf is from the TRW Technology Series and describes this upgrade.
The WWMCCS included separate processes for "conventional" and "nuclear" planning and execution.
The WWMCCS Information System (WIS) was supposed to support the "Warfighters" in the National Military Command System (NMCS) and their command subordinates.
The Massachusetts Mafia won the WIS development contract but could not deliver. The Global Command and Control System (GCCS) was an effort to meet the needs of the NCA and the Warfighters.
Sunday, June 14, 2015
Your Grandfather was a Theist
Our Founding Fathers Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson were avowed Deists.
To my daughters I can say, "Your Grandfather Brown was a Theist."
His beliefs were strongly influenced by The Fundamentals. The Fundamentals: A Testimony To The Truth (generally referred to simply as The Fundamentals) is a set of 90 essays published from 1910 to 1915 by the Bible Institute of Los Angeles. The Fundamentals were edited by A. C. Dixon and later by Reuben Archer Torrey. The Fundamentals was first published as a 12-volume set, and later as a four-volume set retaining all 90 essays. The 90 essays were written by 64 different authors, representing most of the major Protestant Christian denominations.
The essays were written to affirm conservative Protestant beliefs, especially those of the Reformed tradition, and defend against ideas deemed inimical to them. They are widely considered to be the foundation of modern Christian fundamentalism.
To my daughters I can say, "Your Grandfather Brown was a Theist."
His beliefs were strongly influenced by The Fundamentals. The Fundamentals: A Testimony To The Truth (generally referred to simply as The Fundamentals) is a set of 90 essays published from 1910 to 1915 by the Bible Institute of Los Angeles. The Fundamentals were edited by A. C. Dixon and later by Reuben Archer Torrey. The Fundamentals was first published as a 12-volume set, and later as a four-volume set retaining all 90 essays. The 90 essays were written by 64 different authors, representing most of the major Protestant Christian denominations.
The essays were written to affirm conservative Protestant beliefs, especially those of the Reformed tradition, and defend against ideas deemed inimical to them. They are widely considered to be the foundation of modern Christian fundamentalism.
The project was initially conceived in 1909 by
California businessman Lyman Stewart and his brother Milton. They anonymously provided
funds for collecting essays to set out what they believed to be the
fundamentals of Christian faith, and for printing and distributing copies of
the collected essays. The
Fundamentals
was
sent free to ministers, missionaries, professors of theology, YMCA and YWCA
secretaries, Sunday School superintendents, and other Protestant religious
workers in every English-speaking country. Over three million volumes (250,000
sets) were sent out.
The volumes defended orthodox
Protestant beliefs and attacked higher criticism, liberal theology, Catholicism (also called Romanism by them), socialism, Modernism, atheism,
Christian Science, Mormonism, Millennial Dawn, Spiritualism,
and evolutionism.
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