Well it is official, we have taken the first pictures of the school year. The kids had band today and got photographed in their uniforms. Band camp starts next week, so I guess the summer is over.
It has been a great summer, working out of my home office, and hearing them laugh and fight. I look forward to the silence but will miss the noise.
8/1/14
Great free family AV/Anti Trojan Solution
I just finished setting up OpenDNS as part of my family's internet protection. I use a few products and have been virus/trojan free for years, but I have found it difficult to get the rest of my family into the habits I use to stay clean.
I do hate having to go into a pc and clean out trojans and other infections. I believe that I have put together a good toolkit and will share it.
1. Spybot Search and Destroy - I use the personal free edition
2. HiJack This - Free
3. Microsoft Security Essentials - I know it is MS, but it seems to work well and is free (I always likes ESET nod32 if you want a paid solution)
4. SpywareBlaster - free edition
5. OpenDNS - installed, or should I say configured, via web and through the router.
With all but OpenDNS, you will need to remember to do updates manually, I have a 30 day reminder set. If you want auto updates you can pay for the services.
No guarantees, but this seems to be a fairly solid setup. I am open to suggestions
I do hate having to go into a pc and clean out trojans and other infections. I believe that I have put together a good toolkit and will share it.
1. Spybot Search and Destroy - I use the personal free edition
2. HiJack This - Free
3. Microsoft Security Essentials - I know it is MS, but it seems to work well and is free (I always likes ESET nod32 if you want a paid solution)
4. SpywareBlaster - free edition
5. OpenDNS - installed, or should I say configured, via web and through the router.
With all but OpenDNS, you will need to remember to do updates manually, I have a 30 day reminder set. If you want auto updates you can pay for the services.
No guarantees, but this seems to be a fairly solid setup. I am open to suggestions
7/31/14
ICD-10 compliance date officially set
October 1, 2015 is officially the date for ICD-10 Compliance.
Press Release from CMS
Take a look at our product, ICD Remediator, to help you through this process
Press Release from CMS
Take a look at our product, ICD Remediator, to help you through this process
If I had A Hammer – QA Helper tools
New article published. More of a list of great tools for QA.
http://www.inflectra.com/Ideas/Entry/202.aspx
http://www.inflectra.com/Ideas/Entry/202.aspx
Forrest and Trees
Several years ago, I watched a show about entrepreneurs. on this show entrepreneurs showed their products to experienced VC and investor type people and potentially got funded. Kind of an early take on Shark tank, but more involved in the process, not just the pitch.
One of these entrepreneurs had developed a window garden type of product, and they thought everyone would want one, great idea, and they had a patent on the special soil it used. this soil made evaporation a near non existent issue, water the plant once a month and it would continue to grow and thrive.
this caught the VC's eye, or should I say ear. he started drilling on the soil. the entrepreneurs were confused, wasn't the planter beautiful? how could he not see the appeal?
The entrepreneurs were actually the ones with a vision issue. What the VC saw was that their soil idea was worth billions. developing countries could use the product to enrich soil and fend off the massive erosion and evaporation issues they were facing. He tried to explain this to the entrepreneurs with no success. they rebuffed his suggestion.
this is a classic case of not being able to see the forest through the trees. the entrepreneurs could see a single application that they were emotionally attached to. They were also wearing blinders to the other opportunities.
When evaluating and business idea, expand your horizons. especially today, in the age of big data. I firmly believe that one of the big reasons for SaaS is that data aggregation reveals trends, and you cant aggregate from an untouched desktop.
look at the data being collected, and think about what else you could derive from that data, this is your real product, and your most long lasting. make the core product very cheap, but very useful. Aggregate the data, repackage, and sell. make it a subscription service for the customers to predict meaningful events based on the aggregation. Also think of the governing bodies and how they could participate in the process.
Look past the trees, and see what your aggregate forest can be.
One of these entrepreneurs had developed a window garden type of product, and they thought everyone would want one, great idea, and they had a patent on the special soil it used. this soil made evaporation a near non existent issue, water the plant once a month and it would continue to grow and thrive.
this caught the VC's eye, or should I say ear. he started drilling on the soil. the entrepreneurs were confused, wasn't the planter beautiful? how could he not see the appeal?
The entrepreneurs were actually the ones with a vision issue. What the VC saw was that their soil idea was worth billions. developing countries could use the product to enrich soil and fend off the massive erosion and evaporation issues they were facing. He tried to explain this to the entrepreneurs with no success. they rebuffed his suggestion.
this is a classic case of not being able to see the forest through the trees. the entrepreneurs could see a single application that they were emotionally attached to. They were also wearing blinders to the other opportunities.
When evaluating and business idea, expand your horizons. especially today, in the age of big data. I firmly believe that one of the big reasons for SaaS is that data aggregation reveals trends, and you cant aggregate from an untouched desktop.
look at the data being collected, and think about what else you could derive from that data, this is your real product, and your most long lasting. make the core product very cheap, but very useful. Aggregate the data, repackage, and sell. make it a subscription service for the customers to predict meaningful events based on the aggregation. Also think of the governing bodies and how they could participate in the process.
Look past the trees, and see what your aggregate forest can be.
7/30/14
Reply from FCC
Not sure if it means anything yet
| ||||
Thank you very much for contacting us about the ongoing Open Internet proceeding. We're hoping to hear from as many people as possible about this critical issue, and so I'm very glad that we can include your thoughts and opinions.
I'm a strong supporter of the Open Internet, and I will fight to keep the internet open. Thanks again for sharing your views with me.
Tom Wheeler
Chairman
Federal Communications Commission
------- Original Message -------
From: art.trevethan@gmail.com
Subject: Just no
To whom it may concern,
I am a child of the 80s. Born in 69, and using computers since I was in the program at Ohio State while in middle school. I have seen the evolution and been involved in it.
The largest change to our economy, during my lifetime, was the advent of the internet. Imagine if we had stopped the industrial revolution and stated that only certain companies could have easy access to customers, yeah, that would have crushed the innovation.
I say the same thing here, keep the lined free of clutter and full of innovation. for the children and the advancements a free and open internet will provide for the next generation.
Art Trevethan
240 Skinner
Kyle, TX
I'm a strong supporter of the Open Internet, and I will fight to keep the internet open. Thanks again for sharing your views with me.
Tom Wheeler
Chairman
Federal Communications Commission
------- Original Message -------
From: art.trevethan@gmail.com
Subject: Just no
To whom it may concern,
I am a child of the 80s. Born in 69, and using computers since I was in the program at Ohio State while in middle school. I have seen the evolution and been involved in it.
The largest change to our economy, during my lifetime, was the advent of the internet. Imagine if we had stopped the industrial revolution and stated that only certain companies could have easy access to customers, yeah, that would have crushed the innovation.
I say the same thing here, keep the lined free of clutter and full of innovation. for the children and the advancements a free and open internet will provide for the next generation.
Art Trevethan
240 Skinner
Kyle, TX
Change
So this year started off sucking in a big way, my position was eliminated. And it was the best thing that could have happened.
You see I had been fairly bored and frustrated for the last 3 years. I have been in start-ups before, even started a few of my own. But never had I been in a situation where discussion of issues was so taboo. We could see the problems staring in our faces but to discuss and try to solve them meant you were on the outside. Yes, drink the cool aide, but keep your eyes open and recognize when it is time for a pivot.
I had presented a few pivots, and was often told that we would do those once our finances improved, but without a pivot the finances stood no chance. Classic catch-22. And I was so vested in my customers, and the relationships I had built, that I couldn't bring myself to make a whole heart-ed effort to leave.
The choice was made for me.
I panicked, but was confident. Thousands of resumes tossed out to the hiring bodies. Lots of calls to people who might be in need of my skills. I took on a few projects, then the call came.
Dad is sick, not sure what but we are visiting the doctor on Friday, will call you after. My parents are older, and you expect some illness. I did not worry, figured it was a bug from traveling. Small price to pay for enjoying the fruits of your labor in retirement.
A few days later I heard that the test results were not back yet, and that dad was still in pretty severe discomfort. Well wait to see what the doctor says.
Next I get a call that they are going to see an Oncologist, holy shit what is happening. Now he is checked into the hospital. Sure I am unemployed, but this is my dad. I jumped into the truck and drove from Texas to Ohio. Straight to the hospital.
Got to the hospital, went into the room, my dad didn't look good. Watched him dwindle. Had a few good discussions where old hurts were hashed out and forgiven. The doctors had a few good ideas that gave some hope.
I often would record the sessions with the doctors, so that I could review them later, looking for information. The doctor set up an appointment with us, make sure you are all there. She came in and let us know that they would be discharging as there was nothing more they could do. I still have the recording, un-listened. I don't want to hear my mom, dad, sister, and brother in law cry.
We made arrangements, and took him home. He sat in his chair, and answered Jeopardy questions. My wife and kids came up to join us. Everybody came in. In the morning, the hospice nurse was there, giving him meds to ease the discomfort. He was not talking, but was making noises like fitful sleep. Occasionally you could make out a word, and occasionally he gave a presentation from his working days.
My daughters came in and sang for him, Blackbird. It was hard. The funeral home people came over, and we were talking to them. While this was happening my kids were in the room with my dad. All of a sudden my eldest comes running out and says we need to get in there.
My dad passed away surrounded by family who loved him unconditionally. He found peace. Just way too damn early. He was too young. He was playing golf a few weeks earlier and had driven from Florida to Ohio. He was healthy. We were not ready.
I put everything off and stayed for a month to be sure my mom was OK. Drove back home and thought about what was real.
I enjoy the writing, and it would pay the bills. Lets focus on that and take a few side jobs as a consultant. I cant afford to let my time with my kids dwindle. I must focus on my family.
I stopped worrying about tomorrow and began focusing on today. I spent more time with the kids. I stopped wanting that dream job, as it was not my dream. My wife got a job. we are OK financially, and we are strong spiritually. we spend allot of time giving to the church, boy scouts, girl scouts, and other organizations to support those in out community.
Here I am, I have a wonderful family, a gig that allows me to express myself creatively, and opportunities to help others.
I just wish my dad could see it.
Fracking
And Hobby Lobby apparently wants to protect the unborn till it interferes with your shift
http://images.dailykos.com/images/97054/lightbox/sincerely720.png
http://images.dailykos.com/images/97054/lightbox/sincerely720.png
7/29/14
Great Writing Software
Part of the challenge of writing, weather it be for blogs, books, or journaling, is to find a piece of software that allows you to express yourself, and organize yourself.
I like to write with an old pair of Sony headphones cranking out my current WinAmp playlist or a great Pandora channel. this keeps the outside, outside. but how do you keep the outside in your computer, outside?
I have found my writing platform of choice to be a software called Scrivner. It keeps me focused, organizes my new ideas, tracks submissions, etc.. at least the way I have it set up. This is my platform, not necessarily anyone else s. I have thought it would be nice to use Evernote just to have the remote access a phone brings, but who really writes with their thumbs? I do use Evernote for simple tracking, but, for my workflow, Scrivner is the best I have found.
In Scrivner, I have categories; Draft, Submitted, and Ideas. this provides gross categorization. Drafts is where I do most of my work, writing posts and preparing them for submission. Submitted has sub categories for year (2012,2013,2014) and under each year it has the months of the year. As I submit my posts, I rename them to include a "Submitted - Date - Title" and drag them to the appropriate month. this allows me to track what is done, what has been done, and what I have written. The Ideas category is for random musings, that may or may not get moved into draft for the workflow.
Core to all of this is that I can "Turn Off" and not be online. This prevents distraction as I an information junkie. Email, Blogs, News, etc... this is all what is standing in my way. I use a non connected state as well as headphones to zone out and just write. I may need to reconnect occasionally as research needs to be done, but I have a day or two each week for that, and notes can go into the Ideas tab.
What works for you? I am open to suggestions.
I like to write with an old pair of Sony headphones cranking out my current WinAmp playlist or a great Pandora channel. this keeps the outside, outside. but how do you keep the outside in your computer, outside?
I have found my writing platform of choice to be a software called Scrivner. It keeps me focused, organizes my new ideas, tracks submissions, etc.. at least the way I have it set up. This is my platform, not necessarily anyone else s. I have thought it would be nice to use Evernote just to have the remote access a phone brings, but who really writes with their thumbs? I do use Evernote for simple tracking, but, for my workflow, Scrivner is the best I have found.
In Scrivner, I have categories; Draft, Submitted, and Ideas. this provides gross categorization. Drafts is where I do most of my work, writing posts and preparing them for submission. Submitted has sub categories for year (2012,2013,2014) and under each year it has the months of the year. As I submit my posts, I rename them to include a "Submitted - Date - Title" and drag them to the appropriate month. this allows me to track what is done, what has been done, and what I have written. The Ideas category is for random musings, that may or may not get moved into draft for the workflow.
Core to all of this is that I can "Turn Off" and not be online. This prevents distraction as I an information junkie. Email, Blogs, News, etc... this is all what is standing in my way. I use a non connected state as well as headphones to zone out and just write. I may need to reconnect occasionally as research needs to be done, but I have a day or two each week for that, and notes can go into the Ideas tab.
What works for you? I am open to suggestions.
Other Writing
If you are interested in my other writing, and are a SQA geek, head on over to inflectra.com and click on the ideas tab. as they are posted I will link to my writings.
Here are some older entries...
Even Older from my SmarteSoft days
Enjoy and geek out
Here are some older entries...
Getting started
So, I have finally reached the 6 month mark. 6 months since I was released from what was the torment of my last time working for someone else.
Lets call it Un-Work, not Unemployed. I am working... Just not as you would expect.
I spent the first few months frantically trying to get a job, because that is what I am supposed to do, right? I applied everywhere, and got few, if any responses. truth is I was not ready to go to work. I had just spent 12 years of my soul building a company and not being listened to.
I get up early in the morning, make coffee, see my wife off to work, chat with the kids, and retreat into my cave. once there I start making call backs. calls to potential clients, calls to old customers, calls to friends and family. I am in touch a whole lot more.
It has paid off. I am negotiating a part time development management gig that will fulfill my financial needs, plus I am writing for an old client at a significant rate. between these I am healthier and happier than I have been in a while.
I figure that if I am writing for others I can start writing for myself as well. Just random musings related to Kids, Scouting, Dogs, technology, management, etc...
In the last 6 months I have dealt with loosing my job, loosing my dad, and regaining my soul. More on all that later
Lets call it Un-Work, not Unemployed. I am working... Just not as you would expect.
I spent the first few months frantically trying to get a job, because that is what I am supposed to do, right? I applied everywhere, and got few, if any responses. truth is I was not ready to go to work. I had just spent 12 years of my soul building a company and not being listened to.
I get up early in the morning, make coffee, see my wife off to work, chat with the kids, and retreat into my cave. once there I start making call backs. calls to potential clients, calls to old customers, calls to friends and family. I am in touch a whole lot more.
It has paid off. I am negotiating a part time development management gig that will fulfill my financial needs, plus I am writing for an old client at a significant rate. between these I am healthier and happier than I have been in a while.
I figure that if I am writing for others I can start writing for myself as well. Just random musings related to Kids, Scouting, Dogs, technology, management, etc...
In the last 6 months I have dealt with loosing my job, loosing my dad, and regaining my soul. More on all that later
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