Highlights of 2013: Health

It’s that time when I take stock of the passing year. Kicking off this year’s list is health, both mine and others. I was fortunate again this year that all of my loved ones lived another year. I know I won’t always be able to say this and I know how fortunate I am that I still am graced by the presence of some truly wonderful people.

As for my own health, I began taking it more seriously this year. The new job I took in February and the schedule it required kept me from my daily early-morning dog walks I had enjoyed. I began to miss this simple daily exercise and it soon began to show in my elevated blood pressure. Last winter I had gotten fit enough that I had to take out a few links from my wristwatch to keep it from spinning around my wrist. I was thrilled when I realized that a belt I had last worn a decade ago now fits again.

This progress didn’t last long, though, as the stress of my job and easy access to breakroom snacks led me to mindless snacking at the office. I finally wised up, cut the snacking, cut way back on my beer intake (ooh, that was hard), and cut my weight from 182 pounds earlier this year to 169 pounds Friday morning. This is the first time my weight has dipped below 170 in at least a decade and I couldn’t be happier. I’m even wearing slacks again that last fit me over ten years ago!
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Canine connection

There was a quite curious phenomenon I noticed with our dog, Rocket, that took place while I was in the last days of my previous job. I could see at that point that things weren’t going to work out for me but I still continued to forge ahead and do my best. This put me under unbelievable stress, the likes I’d never felt before. The day before I lost my job I was such a nervous wreck that I could barely speak.

At this very same time, Rocket began to repeatedly smack his lips. Not just once, though, he did it all day long, something he’s never done before. I joked at the time that he must have gotten into some peanut butter or something, but in looking back I had an interesting thought.

Rocket smacks his lips when he’s feeling stressed. At the time I was feeling more stress than I ever had before. Was our dog simply reacting to the stress I was feeling? I never found any evidence he had eaten something he shouldn’t have, nor did I treat our dog any differently than usual. I can’t help but wonder if there might be something to the theory that dogs are innately attuned to moods of their masters.

A chance to blog professionally

Knowing the writing was on the wall, I decided to jump at an interesting opportunity. In September a friend contacted me out the blue, letting me know that Slate.com had an opening for a tech blogger focusing on new trends. He knew an editor at Slate and would put in a good word for me.

The job description sounded appealing:

Tech Blogger at Slate Magazine in Washington, DC

Slate is hiring a technology blogger to contribute to “Future Tense,” our blog about emerging technologies and their impact on society and public policy.
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Recently departed

I found myself out of a job this past Tuesday morning. While there’s a lot of pondering still being done, suffice to say what was once a perfect fit became less of one over time, though I enjoyed the work and I always treated everyone in an honest, friendly, and professional manner.

I’m since been contemplating my next move, perhaps going back into part-time consulting. I will definitely put a premium on an arrangement which values civic engagement.

Stolen Target Credit Cards and the Black Market: How the Digital Underground Works | The State of Security

This is a fascinating account of what’s happening with those 40 million credit cards that were recently stolen from Target.

With the Target data breach, many are wondering how criminals can profit from the use of the stolen credit cards. The card holders themselves will not be responsible for any of the charges, so how is it that criminals are able to make money from stolen credit cards?I have been involved with several cases where organized crime rings have been unveiled, many of these have had connections to Russian and Eastern European groups. These groups generate a significant profit through stolen property acquired through burglaries, shoplifting, identity theft, credit card skimming and carding. Many underestimate the complexity of some of these networks and the revenue they generate.

via Stolen Target Credit Cards and the Black Market: How the Digital Underground Works | The State of Security.

Charlene Willard retires

Charlene Willard and me

Charlene Willard and me


Charlene Willard retired this week from the City of Raleigh’s Community Services department after a 25 year career. I was very happy I could attend her retirement party Thursday afternoon.

Charlene has been a big influence in my life. It was one morning in 2008 when I first spoke with Charlene when she was calling to tell me I had been accepted into the city’s Raleigh Neighborhood College (RNC) program. Originally there had been no openings but Charlene told me another participant had just canceled, making a spot available to me. I enjoyed the next 12 weeks of RNC classes with Charlene and then went on to work closely with her as the Community Services liaison during my three years as chair of the East CAC.

Charlene’s is the kind of person who has to be involved in something so I expect we’ll see her keep busy with some deserving projects around the area. Hopefully I’ll get a chance to work with her again!

Exclusive: Secret contract tied NSA and security industry pioneer | Reuters

I have no problem with NSA working to crack every commercial cypher out there. That’s what they’re supposed to do. However, I cringe when I read of yet another backdoor put in at the behest of the NSA to weaken data security.

Once upon a time the NSA held a near-monopoly on the ability to exploit data security. Those days are gone. Every backdoor the NSA finagles into the technology that keeps us secure in the hopes of exploiting it against our foes, our foes (and potential foes) exploit it, too. The result turns us all into sitting ducks (witness the Target data breach of 40 million credit card numbers).

As a key part of a campaign to embed encryption software that it could crack into widely used computer products, the U.S. National Security Agency arranged a secret $10 million contract with RSA, one of the most influential firms in the computer security industry, Reuters has learned.

Documents leaked by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden show that the NSA created and promulgated a flawed formula for generating random numbers to create a “back door” in encryption products, the New York Times reported in September. Reuters later reported that RSA became the most important distributor of that formula by rolling it into a software tool called Bsafe that is used to enhance security in personal computers and many other products.

via Exclusive: Secret contract tied NSA and security industry pioneer | Reuters.

Facebook Tests Silent Auto-Play For User Videos In Mobile Feed

I’m not too keen about Facebook automatically starting videos in my Timeline. I love all of my friends but self-starting videos is a bit like coming over to my home uninvited.

In a test that could make News Feed more engaging and pave the way for video ads, Facebook’s mobile feed will start auto-playing user-uploaded videos in-line when they’re scrolled over for a small subset of US iOS and Android users. Videos play silently until tapped to full-screen, which feels slick. Facebook is expected to soon launch a new video ad unit, which might draw on this test’s feedback.

via Facebook Tests Silent Auto-Play For User Videos In Mobile Feed, Foreshadowing Video Ads | TechCrunch.

Five tips to a fast checkout at Costco

Coasting through Costco's checkout

Coasting through Costco’s checkout


I’m often asked by no one in particular (well, I mean no one, in particular), “Mark, how does one pick the fastest line at Costco?” Today’s your lucky day, MT.Net readers, as I’m going to let you in on the secret.

1. Scan the competition. Approaching the checkout area, you’re notice that everyone’s looking around in a daze, waiting for something or someone to say “hey, this line!” Don’t be like them! Step number one is to act quickly. Upon reading this, savvy reader and shopper, you will confidently stroll up to the right line every time. Take advantage of the daze and confusion by being sharp and focused!
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Christian Action League boss claims to know God’s position on the Bonner Bridge

Apparently the good reverend isn’t familiar with Matthew 7:26: “But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.”

According to the Rev. Mark Creech, the Executive Director of North Carolina’s Christian Action League that’s him on the left – Creech, not God, those who side with environmental groups in favor of a longer and more sustainable bridge to replace the existing Bonner Bridge are acting counter to the Divine Plan. Creech said the following in an article that he authored and that was recently published in, among other places, the Christian Post

I also note that Dr. Creech provides no biblical references to back up his claim that a “biblical worldview” means that God wants us to plunder the earth:

The biblical worldview on the environment is that we should responsibly “subdue” (subjugate, restrain, control) and develop the earth and its natural resources in a way that best benefits the human race.

I don’t have any references to back up my position, either, but I’m pretty sure that’s bullshit.

via Christian Action League boss claims to know God’s position on the Bonner Bridge « The Progressive Pulse.