December 2012

There were 39 posts published in December 2012 (this is page 4 of 4).

The Giving Christmas


My family has been hounding me to give them my wish list for Christmas gifts and, as usual, I’ve been slow at responding. Many years I really can’t think of anything I need so I find it tough to come up with something.

This year I’m doing something different: I’m going giftless. I don’t want even one present. Instead, I want those who wish to get me a gift to donate their money to the charity of their choice. I would like to receive a Christmas card signed by my giver that includes a brief explanation of why this charity is important to him or her.

Let’s face it: I’m a failure as a consumer. I have no interest in collecting things. I’ve got a great family, great friends, great job, great community, and so much else. I’ve been incredibly blessed in life. What more could I ask for?

It’s not the stuff that makes me happy. Helping others makes me happy. So instead of opening a gift of something I really don’t need, I look forward to being delightfully surprised with the choices my family and friends have made towards helping someone else.

Hanging up my RCAC badge

Now I’m the Former RCAC Chair


As I said I would do last month, tonight I officially hung up my RCAC Chairperson badge. Hard to believe a year has gone by. I will miss the camaraderie of my fellow citizen leaders and all that we accomplished. It’s been a true honor to be a part of Raleigh’s Citizens Advisory Councils for the past four years. While this evening I’ve stepped down, I’ll never be too far away.

BBC News – Swimming robot reaches Australia

This is pretty amazing.

A self-controlled swimming robot has completed a journey from San Francisco to Australia.

The record-breaking 9,000 nautical mile (16,668km) trip took the PacX Wave Glider just over a year to achieve.

Liquid Robotics, the US company behind the project, collected data about the Pacific Ocean’s temperature, salinity and ecosystem from the drone.

via BBC News – Swimming robot reaches Australia after record-breaking trip.

State, Raleigh agree on Dix Park lease

N.C. Council of State discusses Dix Park lease


What a day it’s been! I had some time this morning to attend this morning’s Council of State session where the lease of the Dix property was on the agenda. It was a hot, crowded room – I was crammed into the very last seat in the corner – but it was so worth it to be there for that historic moment when the Council voted 7-2 with one abstention to approve the lease.

I went back to work after this but tuned into today’s Council session to hear how it would deal with the lease. After about a 30 minute closed session, the council emerged to vote 7-1 to accept the lease. Councilor John Odom was the lone no vote, saying later that he wasn’t against the park but hasn’t had time to review the lease.

I had my monthly Parks board chair/vice-chair meeting today and met with Parks Director Diane Sauer. Needless to say, she was beaming from ear to ear! So were other Parks staff members. It’s been a long journey to get to this point and to have it suddenly a reality is truly surreal.
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Dix Park press conference

Being Raleigh’s Parks board chair, I have a great interest in making Dix Campus into a park. This morning I learned of an afternoon news conference by Dix Visionaries and wrote my friend Bill Padgett to get the details so I could attend.

The presser was on the Dix campus and I arrived in a suit. A gaggle of press were there setting up and I began to chat with the assembled dignitaries. There were big names there: Jim Goodmon, Anne Goodnight, Greg Poole, Bill Padgett, Jay Spain, Susan Bowers. I was there just a supporter but these folks had done a lot of work to get where we are today.
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Cheap Thoughts: Fold-up Christmas tree

The Norbert Thiemann fold-up Christmas tree


The family spent a few hours setting up our Christmas tree yesterday. It took a lot of time, from sorting out the parts (it’s artificial) to stringing the lights to hanging ornaments. It got me thinking how nice it would be to have a tree that folded up like an upside-down umbrella. I mean, if you’re going for an artificial tree, might as well add convenience, right?

A quick search on The Google tells me some enterprising chap patented just what I was thinking back in 1974. Norbert Thiemann came up with a collapsible Christmas tree and was granted U.S. patent 3846213. I’m not aware of Mr. Thiemann’s invention actually being used anywhere.
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How to spot a fake Facebook user

I get a surprising number of fake Facebook users trying to sign up for a Facebook page I administer called “Bring Google Fiber to Raleigh!” It’s given me some practice in spotting fake accounts which I’d like to share here with a look at the latest fake user I’ve found, “Amanda Watts.”

Here’s how to spot a fake Facebook account:

1. The account tries to join a dormant Facebook page. It’s like the Groucho Marx line about not joining any club that would have him as a member: if someone is signing up for a dead page something is usually fishy. Because the issue that my page was created to address was settled almost two years ago it’s very unusual for anyone to be signing up for my page. Thus, I’m on guard right from the start. Only about 20% of the users who request to join my page turn out to be legitimate users.
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SAS buying rPath’s assets

I learned yesterday that rPath’s assets have been sold to SAS, essentially bringing rPath to an end, it seems.

Business analytics software company SAS is acquiring the assets of Raleigh-based startup rPath.

RPath, which was founded in 2005 by former Red Hat employees, is in the process of shutting down. Some of its staff – 19 employees – will accompany the technology and join SAS, forming the Platform Deployment Technologies group within SAS’ research and development operations.

I interviewed there more than once for a sales engineer position last year. I also set up rPath’s first phone system, based on Asterisk. For a while there I was sure rPath would be the next VMWare. Instead it’s been chopped up. It’s a shame, but I’m glad I didn’t sign up there only to be looking for work now.

via SAS buying Raleigh startup’s assets – Triangle Business Journal.

FCC readies for new LPFM stations

Yesterday, the Federal Communications Commission cleared the way for new LPFM stations to apply for licenses. This “window” is scheduled to open in October 2013.

Little Raleigh Radio is on its way!

The FCC has just announced that it is prepared to implement the Local Community Radio Act — a bill that aims to give local community groups the opportunity to broadcast on low-power FM stations beyond small rural areas. The bill was signed into law in January, 2011 by President Obama after a decade of advocacy from supporters, and allows low-power stations to be created within three radio dial clicks of a major station.

via FCC order enables creation of thousands of new non-commercial local radio stations | The Verge.