Biggs' Zone

A Geek's Cogitations, Conjectures and other Cortical Experiences

Tag: Biggs On Page 10 of 11

Biggs On: Google vs Glen

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On February 24, 2011

In Biggs On, General Cogitation

Most people who know me well know that I am a staunch republican. I am not an extreme conservative, but I rarely tarry even to the middle, if ever. My viewpoints often align with popular right wing personalities such as Bill O’Reilly, Mike Gallagher, and even Glen Beck.

Lately, it seems, I have been moving farther and farther away from aligning with Glen Beck. I almost feel like that he’s becoming more and more like Jerry Fletcher (Mel Gibson’s character from Consipracy Theory). His latest bit of conspiracy theory has Google as his target. Glen Beck has been preaching that Google is in cahoot with the government to invade your privacy and absorb personal details via your searches and your g-mail. It really is as absurd as it sounds.Google products do collect your common searches but as part of their smart browsing technology (known as Google Suggest). This feature can be turned off, but really, unless you are searching for something that you shouldn’t be … who really cares! Just like all the other tech companies, they are just trying to help improve the user experience. I would also like to point out, how can the information gathering that Google is doing be worse then the exorbitant amount of data people willingly provide on social networking sites such as Facebook?

Glen Beck suggests that you reduce your usage of Google and use Bing instead. Bing, for those of you that are not aware, is Microsoft’s search engine. How can Microsoft be considered less invasive then Google? I want to look at a few facts here. Microsoft has been around quite a bit longer then Google, however, in recent industry polls, Google has consistently outranked Microsoft as one of the best places to work. If you were to ask any competent IT professional whose experience has spanned across several facets of the industry who the “evil empire” is, their response will almost always be Microsoft.

So, if we are going to discuss conspiracy theory let me offer up some of my own.

It is widely known that Google is Microsoft’s main competitor in today’s IT industry. It could literally be compared to the Hatfields and the McCoy’s. The latest voting statistics show that more and more college students are becoming more politically involved. Some of those college students are future IT professionals. I wouldn’t put it past Microsoft to try to leverage that and use out-spoken, political pundits such as Glen Beck to try to spread seeds of dissent about their competitors.

Yes, information is still sacred but its no longer as secure as it use to be and Google isn’t the first one, nor will they be the last one, that will be accused of collecting user details. The fact of the matter is, all of the top IT companies (i.e. Google, Microsoft, Apple, etc) will collect user details and statistics. They do this because the company that continues to improve the user experience will continue to receive revenue and lead the industry. These same companies probably will have connections to the government, in fact even the small company I work for has government projects. Also, think about this, as technology continues to be a bigger part of our lives, cyber-terrorism becomes a bigger threat. Wouldn’t you want the government to be working with the top IT companies in the world to discuss plans to combat cyber-terrorism?

Sorry Glen, I have no intentions to stop using Google and I plan to suggest the same to others.

Biggs On: The New Year

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On January 13, 2011

In Biggs On, General Cogitation

So we have bid farewell to 2010 as we start the second decade in the new millennium. The year has started out exceptionally busy but there is a potential slowdown in the future. I hope to get back to some of my projects, including The MMO Times. I hope everyone is still subscribed.

I like to apply an adage often given to March to describe 2010; it came in like a lamb and went out like a lion. I know my memory isn’t the best but if I recall the first quarter of 2010 was relatively calm. There were some challenging projects as spring ended and summer began; and as the summer progressed the new projects were very interesting and, to be completely honest, they were fun. I added new technology, new languages and new accolades to my repertoire.

Then the fall came, and that is when things became extremely busy. I cannot remember the last time I had so much going on. There were several weeks when I was putting in quite a bit of overtime. There were times when development and business would clash, tempers and stress would increase and sleep would decrease. When winter arrived, tragedy struck. Grief and sorrow consumed the month of December and 2010 ended with pain in our hearts.

So 2011 begins the healing process and dwindling remorse as we all have to pick up the pieces of our shattered hearts and find a way to cope with loss. I have high hopes for 2011, despite its grim beginning, as I look forward to God’s greatest gift; Life.

Biggs On: Pre-Cataclysm World Event

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On November 20, 2010

In Biggs On, World of Warcraft

So the World of Warcraft Pre-Cataclysm World Event has been going on for a few weeks now. The first phase involved random earthquakes shaking old world Azeroth. Phase 2 brought random rifts in various parts of Kalimdor, Eastern Kingdoms, Northrend and Outlands that brought forth angry elementals; killing 10 of them would close the rift (and grant you a Feat of Stength achievement if you closed one of each kind of rift). Then Phase 3 started; the elementals are now attacking four of the major cities: Stormwind, Ironforge, Orgrimmar, and Thunderbluff. The events require that you put up fortifications, elite elementals are everywhere, the weather has turned to torrential rain, buildings are on fire … it is complete pandemonium! It is epic!

In my personal opinion, this is far better then the world event for Lich King. Yes, the zombies were fitting and the occasionally scourge attack on Orgrimmar and Stormwind Harbor were pretty cool but I think Blizzard definitely kicked it up a notch with this world event.

There is one more phase before December 7th and we will see Deathwing and he will randomly kill us all while changing the landscape, and the face, of Azeroth forever.

I can’t wait!

Biggs On: LASIK

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On September 22, 2010

In Biggs On

I recently underwent laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) and it was money well spent. I thought that perhaps I would share my experience here today and I will go into some detail. If you are squeamish or considering the surgery yourself, I would suggest that you do not keep reading, the process is very intimidating.

It starts with several tests to determine if I am a candidate for LASIK.  They have to measure the shape of my eyes, the condition of my cornea, and how dry my eyes are. There are actually two options for laser refraction surgery. LASIK is the most well known, and PRK (Photorefractive keratectomy). The biggest difference between the two kinds of surgery is the recovery time. LASIK is nearly 24 hours, PRK can take up to a week and the reason for the difference in recovery times is with LASIK they cut a flap into your cornea before they use the laser, whereas with PRK they skip that part.

I chose LASIK because I didn’t have the time available to devote to more then 3 days recovery.

Here is where things get more detailed. I am going to talk about the surgery. This will be your final caveat. If you are squeamish or are considering the procedure yourself, I would stop reading.

The big thing to note is that you are awake during the procedure, which only takes about 20-25 minutes. They do give you some Valium, so you should be feeling pretty good by the time you lay down. I don’t know if there is a medical reason for choosing which eye they do first, but they did my left eye first and covered my right eye with a patch. They will tape your eyelids open, so don’t even bother trying to blink. Your eye is numb so you won’t feel the stinging sensation from having not blinked in a while.

Now its time to cut a flap into your cornea. They attach a ring to your eyeball, which is a very weird sensation. This corneal suction ring keeps your eye in place, and apparently flattens your eye a bit. This next part is probably the most intimidating part of the entire experience. They put you under the machine that will cut the flap into your cornea. This thing feels like its crushing your face, and you lay there for about 30 seconds while this thing makes its incision. You cannot move, you cannot smile, you cannot talk. Any facial movement has the potential of moving your eye, and if something is trying to make an incision to your cornea, even the slightest twitch could be dangerous. It is also, during these 25-30 seconds where you are completely blind.

After they have cheese-sliced your cornea, things start to look a little weird. The doctor is constantly adding drops to your eyes, using instruments to move things around and open the flap, then you swing over to the other side, under another machine and now you see a orange circle with an orange beam of light in the center. This is the laser. The orange beam you see, that is what the computer uses to “target” the area on your retina the laser will correct. It is important to stare at that orange beam until the computer finishes its search and the laser completes its work. It takes about 15 seconds for the laser to correct your vision.

The process is repeated for the other eye and then its over. The room will appear as if its filled with smoke. They will give you sunglasses and your eyes must remain closed until you get home where its best to take a nap for about 4-5 hours. I slept for about 4 hours. You will have to administer a variety of eye drops for up to a week after the surgery to help your eyes heal from the flap incision, but by the next day I was able to see better then when I had glasses.

So, even after all of that, if I had to choose to do it again (if cost wasn’t a barrier), I would … but I think the second time around I would ask for more Valium.

Biggs On: The Ground Zero Mosque

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On August 17, 2010

In Biggs On

I will be honest, the first time I saw something about this was on facebook and I actually thought it was a joke. Then I heard on the radio that there actually is a group trying to have a Mosque built at ground zero. It is causing outrage from coast-to-coast and with just cause.

But, despite how appalling and offensive this idea is, I can actually see some merit in it. I say, sure, let them build their little Allah Alter at ground zero. I mean, there are other places of worship in NYC for the other religions and apparently part of the WTC area does have zoning for religious structures so they are within their legal rights to purchase the land for a Mosque.

I think we are looking at this the wrong way though. Let them build their Mosque, not because of religious freedom, not because of equality, but because what are the odds that another plane will be flown into any more buildings when it might endanger a Muslim place of worship. In fact, I think I know of a good name for this place when its built … how do you say “Allah’s Shield” in Arabic?

Biggs On: The iPad

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On July 7, 2010

In Biggs On

Over the holiday weekend we visited the mall and dispite my dissatisifaction with Apple, I still felt the technology calling me over to look. So, since I have absolutely no will power, we go to the Apple Store. I can honestly say that I stood there playing or watching my wife and our friends play with the iPad for probably a good hour, and after that time I feel I am qualified to say … I don’t see the big deal.

The iPad is basically an oversized, glorified iPod. I really don’t understand the attraction. It literally looks like a huge iPod Touch. I even listened in on a demonstration of the iPad by one of the Apple Store cronies and I still didn’t hear anything that made me soil my pants. I think I honestly would rather have a tablet PC then an iPad. Actually, I think the iPhone 4 is much more intreguing then the iPad (assuming you hold the iPhone 4 correctly … don’t want a dropped signal as a result of a misplaced pinky finger).

Now, in all fairness to new technology, I am open to hear what others think are the superior features about the iPad. Perhaps there is something about it that I am missing that makes this product so sought-after.

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