PC vs MAC...My $0.02

Today's Corn and Cheese: "Just like my profile pic, I'm back!"

Good news/Bad news:

Good: I got a new laptop after a long and extensive search!!!
Bad: I've upgraded to Windows 7 from XP.

Dont get me wrong, 7 is awesome, for new users, but I feel like it forgets us fossils who have been using windows for 20 yrs. This is only bad bc I feel like a digital encino man, emerging from some comatose hibernation. I successfully avoided windows vista like the plague, and after years of usage and comparative analysis, I can't convince myself to shell out MAC money. I'm sorry, but I refuse to pay Vacay money on hardware for sex appeal. To me, more than half the joy in anything I own is the crackhead price I more than likely paid for it (ask me how much it costs or is worth, not how much I paid for it). I've used both platforms at the highest level of performance (video capture and editing, sound editing, audio production, CAD, 3D modelling and rendering, downloading and viewing porn, web surfing, digital photography, graphic design and video gaming to name a few) and despite what the quirky nerdy, yet lovably cool guy in the commercials would have you believe, MACs have just as much problems as pc's and will crap out on you just the same at the least opportune time. In fact, it may prove even more problematic bc when your mac does have problems, you have fewer ppl around with the knowledge and tools to fix them (sorry, my pc geek squad is to vast n deep - thats what she said). I have a friend who was without his macbook for over 2 weeks for some simple problem that I could have walked down the block and fixed on a pc.

Since I already discpelled the performance objections, here are the major selling points I keep hearing for macs:

"Macs dont get virus' and spyware" FALSE! Technically, the real answer is "yes and no." If you listen carefully, they tend to say macs are safe from "PC viruses".....which is true. They do in fact get virus' malware and trojans. Although it is rarer to non existent compared to pc's, it does happen and when, or if it does, it can be terminal or infinitely more difficult to fix bc the lack of an antivirus program to differentiate good or bad. Kind of like those cities that shut down for half an inch of snow. However, with the increase in mac users of late, there has been an increase, hence the development of mac antivirus and malware programs like Snow Leapord.
REF: (Since Nicole said I dont do any "blasted research")

http://www.switched.com/2009/09/01/apple-quietly-admits-macs-get-viruses/

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Do_macs_get_viruses

http://www.betanews.com/article/Macs-dont-get-viruses-myth-dissolves-before-publics-eyes/1251493625

Sidenote: She's absolutely right, I dont do research. Ppl get paid to do that, this is fun. My research is life, and occasionally I find and provide supplimentary documentation....for what I already know.

"You can run a virtual PC/windows emulator on a mac" Stupid question, if you want to run a PC so bad, why not get a flippin PC? SURPRISE BISCUITS! PC's can run mac OS too! (The industry or trade lingo for it is "HACKintosh." I think its kinda cute. Dont endorse hacking so you'll have to look that up on your own).

"Its so much simpler" Remember this, "user friendly" = dumbed down. Yeah, and so is a car, but if you give one to a teenager who can barely drive, doesn't know how to handle the transmission, check the fluids and maintenance the car, keep the payments up, obey traffic laws, park properly and stores a bunch of crap in it, can we agree that the problem MAY....just MAY not lie in the car? We should have defensive PC courses.

Folks, I'm not anti-mac, but heres a selling point a MAC user can never use: PRICE. I know ppl with $2000 table settings/paperweights that will never even use $1000 worth of its capabilities.....but sure looks cool. If you browse the internet, email, use office software, listen to music and store photos, you really shouldn't pay more than $500-700 on a desktop or laptop, AND it'll handle ample porn. MAC's are amazing machines for certain applications, but I'm sorry, I can't justify spending 2k on a low end or base model MAC, when 2k in PC boards, and hardware could build a beast of a computer. If you absolutely have to have the MAC platform, be my guest. To each his own, just buy it for the right reasons and not for fad or this false smear campaign going. Reminds me of the cola wars of the 80's.

Sidenote: I'm not a pervert, I'm a realist. Any straight man who has a computer, on the internet, has porn on his computer. If he denies, he's lying or has some serious social, interpersonal issues. He may not feel comfortable sharing bc society demonizes porn, but I have 3 easy steps to expose anyones pc, even the most horndog MIT summa cum laude. Either that or he's telling the truth bc he streams it straight from the net or keeps it in some hidden external drive.

But now back to this windows 7? It's like walking into your room and somebody cleaned and moved all your stuff and nothing is where you put it or know it to be. Can I get some one on one consultation? Apparently the strategy here was to make it more "user friendly" which is simply industry term for "we dumbed it down for dummies...ya big dummy!"....which is why macs only have one button on the mouse, and come in single units at times, bc God forbid you should be burdened with connecting clearly labeled and color coded cables together (they even have little pictures to show you what plugs into what).

Will you be my windows 7 sponsor, hold my hand and walk me through this? Do I need to get a windows 7 for dummies or a Win7 Rosetta Stone to get up to par? They don't even come with books anymore. Off to the internet I go (GO GREEN!). Has it really been 6 yrs since my last pc? I'm getting through, but it seems like everything takes at least 30% more time to do. Saying all this to say, I've been on some real brain flatulence the last few days while I migrate all my files. When that's done and squared away, I'll resume some of the wholesome blog goodness, gems, thingies that I've had in the cue for a while.

My initial reaction:

Sidenote: Ooooh! Now that I have a laptop, can I be one of those pretentious bloggers who sit in coffeeshops, sip drinks with mocha and appachino in it, and blog in public all day long? Bc there is no better productive environment more conducive to creativity than a loud, public, high traffic public area with hundreds of side conversations and distractions.

Sidernote: GRRRRR!!! WHy is a simple copy and paste so difficult!!

Sidestnote: MMMMMM! I looooooove mocha and appachinooooo aaaarrrgghhghgh!!!

TOS: Facebook owns you. Get over it. Here's how.........Part 2

Previously on "My $0.02"............TOS: Facebook owns you. Get over it. Here's how.

ADDENDA!!! - 04/14/10

So here's a shocker, over a year to the date I originally wrote this, facebook has a whole new interface, look at navigation. YAAAAAAY....pay attention, they took away more rights.

Have you noticed that you're getting more random solicited friend requests and msgs from strangers, stalkers and ex's you've been trying to avoid? Are all the ppl you've tactically blocked finding you? Well, Mr. Zuckerburg and co., who are admitted huge fans of Twitter (insert frowny face emoticon) did away with many of your our privacy settings YET AGAIN. Gee......what a shocker....this is outrageousssss [insert uproar].

Sidenote: Why do I have a feeling that Twitter will bring about the fall of
mankind?

Well have we been violated? Well yeah, if you haven't read TOS: Facebook owns you. Get over it. Here's how. and applied those simple tips to safeguarding your information. For additional not-be-a-moronomics, also revisit: PSA: "Facebook/myspace/twitter/Blackplanet ruined my relationship." However, since the playing field has changed, we must now adapt. Here are a few more pointers that can help safeguard your privacy. Please, feel free to add any that you may have discovered.

Sidenote: The real question or rather commentary to ponder on your way home is, if you decided to make a public personal page on the World Wide Web (www.) then why in Lou Farrigno, are you so concerned about privacy, but I'm not going to be a jerk to point fingers and ask questions. I'm just saying. Personal accountability ppl.

-PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE take the year out of your birthday! I know I mentioned taking all biographical information out of your page, but for those reading for the first time (and the hard headed alike) along with your other info....which we encouraged you to take out, this is the last piece of the puzzle for your friendly neighborhood identity thief.

-Re-visit your privacy settings. A lot of them are still there, but have somehow, mystically been set to "public." Most of them are just a click away.

-Limited profile. I don't think ppl utilize this feature nearly enough. Some ppl, you just need their contact, but they don't need an all access backstage pass.

-Disable tagged pics. I did this for a project that was under great scrutiny.......but now that the project is over, I think I'll leave it the way it is. I think my photo albums and profile pics are more than enough for someone to identify me.

-Toggle your photo settings. I recently found out that a lot of my albums were reset to public, when a friend told me how her friend spent some time going through my photo albums. Make sure they're all set to "friends only."

-Stop linking accounts. I'm very wary about anything that requires putting a screenname and password from another account. Whats the point of a pseudonym or an avatar if it's linked to your biographical info? Is anonymity the modern duck-billed platypus?

-Disable your wall. What better way to keep raggedy comments off your wall, then to not have a wall? I see more and more ppl doing this..........or maybe they just put me on "limited profile" :-S

If worse comes to worse, I supposed you can delete ppl. I've clicked on contacts before only to find that we were no longer contacts anymore. No fall out or disconnect, they just decided our one or two interactions were not enough to bless me with the honor of their facebook page. Can't blame em. But once again, the greater question is, what are you so afraid of revealing? Are you a douche who goes through great painstaking lengths to conceal it? Hell, if a fugitive can evade authorities while updating his facebook page AND build a fan page with over 10,000 followers, what are YOU worried about simple person?

REF:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/12/23/uk.fugitive.facebook.prison/index.html
http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/facebook-fugitive-taunts-police-while-on-the-run-20091229-lhyn.html
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-10434345-71.html

Sidenote: He probably got caught by signing up to Twitter.
Sidernote: My friend and I have a number of theories where he may be hiding. Remind me to share.

Favorite Song in the World...Right Now: NIN - The Day the Whole World Went Away (Remix)

Nine Inch Nails Rocks!!!! Anyone who can help me find a higher quality version of this song (than the one I have) on mp3, will be my new best friend for 57 minutes, and showered with riches. rrchitect@gmail.com

To twit, or not to twit?

Some of you seasoned readers have heard me denounce twitter on a number of occasions. So Its with great hilarity that I report to you that there is a rogue, renegade faction that is hell-bent on enlisting me amongst the ranks of the "twitterverse" [now me and made-up words go hand in hand like "ah" and "choo" but I couldnt take credit for that one]. What started as a status spanning 40 comments has now evolved into a full blown facebook group (which I might add is full of ppl who arent subscribed to my blog). We must quell this peasant uprising!!

Am I holding on the the vinyl record in a virtual dj error? A I the raggidy old man on the bus with the cassette playing walkman, solicited by "MP3 Raheem?" I don't speak the cryptic hieroglyphics of today with the #'s and @ signs before and after every word. Is that what poppin in da hood? Is tweetin what's hot in di streets?

All who stood tall with me in defiance has fallen prey to the twit fad. Kinda reminds me of about say......6 yrs ago when everyone started blogging. Am I a literary fossil of an antiquated art in an age of low attention span instant digital feeds?

As TMI-ic as I appear on blog, I'm actually very calculative about what I share and don't share. Even on facebook and in person, very few ppl know the true "R." So in a Verbal Kint-like matter, I'm cool with blogging. However, to best describe my hesitation with twitting:


As asshole-ic as my structured babble is, does the world really.....REALLY want my raw, instant immediate RANDOM, unfiltered thoughts all day long? I will resist this campaign of amusement at the expense of my chicanery and bafoonic coonery.

Much appreciation to all the folks who hit me on the side telling me "don't do it."

"I am Sean Conner........and if you're listening..... you are the resistance!"

Friends vs "Friends"

I currently have 1,430 "friends" and 23 pending "friend" requests on facebook. So ppl always ask this annoying question: "How do you have 1400 friends?" Allow me to clarify.

If I could, I would change the term "friend" as it is pornographically used
on fb, to "contacts." FB to me is nothing more than a multimedia addressbook.
Maybe its my connect-the-dotivity, but I naturally assumed the name "Facebook"
simply suggested "Blackbook" or "Addressbook," merely substituting the face. Fun
tangient, however my digress senses are tingling.

Well for starters, I've only been on facebook for 6 yrs. Remember when it was a sanctuary only for college students at a few universities? Until the floodgates bursteded open and fused all our networks together. Secondly, I once heard a statistic that the average 21 yr old knows at least 2,000 ppl of a first name/facial recognition basis. Now if that's true, I'm 29, and as you have undoubtedly gathered by now, love to chat.

Other contributing resumeic factors:
+I taught highschool students for 8 yrs, averaging 20-35 students a yr.
+I travel all over the northeast coast hosting workshops and lecturing at universities.
+I used to promote and host parties, and events all over New York City.
+I used to emcee and bboy, so I know a lot of artists and ppl in the music/dancing/entertainment industry.
+I'm a member/coach/advisor/leader/socializer with The National Society of Black Engineers, currently at 36,000+ members and have spoken in front of hundreds, sometimes thousands of ppl.
+I'm a conditioned networker. I'm not the person who comes to a dinner party and sits in a corner the whole night. I can start a conversation with a lamp post if it stared at me long enough.
+AAAAND, dont get me started on all my friends from elementary, junior highschool and highschool who fell off the earth and surfaced to facebook, just this last year alone.

But the most dominant reason is, as most of you know, I'm a packrat. I believe everyone in your life has value or worth, even if not immediately apparent. Maybe not even for a few years. So I may hardly ever contact ppl, but I like to know that should I need to, I can. Some ppl put too much weight on FB. "You haven't poked me in 4 months so I'm going to delete you." Like you're really that important? Are we really that insecure that we're worried about ppl stalking our page?

Sidenote: If you're concerned about ppl learning too much
about your life from facebook, go to a mirror, take a good look, and slap the
first person you see. A: What are you putting on your page that is so sensitive,
classified intel; and B: Why are you putting it there? For tips on how to
safeguard your page, revisit TOS: Facebook owns you. Get over it. Here's how.

IF I could, I would re-label half of my list, "associates" "colleagues" "classmates" or just "contacts." Of the 1430, I most likely have an actual relation/affinity to about 1000 of them. Theres about 100, I just met on fb (chat/discussion groups, commenting on a thread, random hi how are you's etc) and about 300 that I met in passing, promoters, networkers or professional contacts I met once or twice.

Of the thousand, there about 300 ppl all over the world that if I were visiting a city, I could crash with for a day or 10. There are a few hundred that in all honesty I will probably never pick up the phone and call but if they need me for something, I'm there and vice versa. Yes, I'm connected to 1430 ppl. They may not all be Flat Tire or Bail Money friends, but you only need a handful of those. Its great to have a starting five, but everyone needs a full supportive bench, marketting team, supportive staff, custodial staff, best boys, key grips, or extras in the reserves. They may not have bought courtside seats, but the nose bleed fan has value too.

IMPORTANT: INTERNATIONAL CALLING INFO

I put this post together for my convention attendees, but this is general "good-to-know"i nfo and I'd be remised if I didnt notify my loyal reader base...including the ungrateful trogolytes who dont comment or ghost fans who wont subscribe. [I'm on a mission here ppl! SUPPORT!!"]

Sidenote: Blogspot is still being a backside so I cant color my text when I want to :( Anyone who knows me knows I'm like Gollum for the color Orange.

[TAG EVRYONE COMING TO THE CONVENTION OR EVEN THINKING ABOUT IT]
Are you worried about how you will contact your family and friends while attending Annual Convention in Toronto? Your Convention Planning Committee has done some research and found a few options for you. Check them out!

Take free, unlimited Skype-to-Skype calls and IM on the go with your BlackBerry® or Android™ 3G smartphone from Verizon Wireless (http://www.skype.com/mobile/)

Truphone is available for a number of devices including the iPhone, the iPod Touch and Android, Nokia and BlackBerry handsets.

Fring supports calling over Wi-Fi and 3G on Android and Nokia devices, and connects to Skype, Google Talk and MSN Messenger contacts.
[REF: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/07/technology/personaltech/07basics.html?pagewanted=2&em]

Be sure to check out these services as soon as possible to prevent getting hit with overage charges! Special Thanks to Latrice Cunningham and Kari L. Brown for their due diligence.

NSBE Luv,
Your 2009-2010 Convention Planning Committee

"Sharing is caring"

"NOW WE KNOW! And knowing is half the battle.
TWEEEEENTYYYYYYY TEEEEEEEEEEEENNNNN!!!"

Favorite Song in the World....Right Now - Slow Motion: Vybez

I been looking for the name for this backside song for a minute, but Vybez Kartel makes a new song every three days. I just remembered the melody, not any of the actual words. Trying to find a dancehall song from June 09, 9 months old, is like trying to find a book in the library using the card catolog........and you don't know the name of the book.

Sidenote: I don't mean in any way shape or form that this is a song about "booty." When I exclaim "backside" I'm not talking about derriere here. It's a West Indian epithet, for "blasted" "damn" or curse replacement. I confused the petuitaries out of someone the other day with his utility.

Sidernote: Blognote is being a backside now and not allowing me to edit my usual sidenote format. www.GRRRRR.com!

Doublesidednote: A: I’m mad at anyone who actually clicks on that url. It’s my personality; I make things up and take no responsibility for whatever you may find there. B: Don’t get confused, stay with me here. Yes I used backside (as in the derriere) as a noun. Before it was an adjective. Different context here. Check the context!

WARNING!! Stay away from me when I’m really feeling a song. I have no problem repeating the song all day everyday….for days on end. And I will embed it in your head as well.

Favorite Song in the World......for right now: Hold Yuh - Gyptian

shhhhhhhhh!! QUIET! not a word.

Racism in America 3

Sidenote: I know, I know, but I couldn't help hold this one back. It'll be a quickie.

Previously on "My $0.02"................

Racism in America/ Black Eye of the Tiger 2

Black Eye of the Tiger

and

Racism in America

This health care bill is really devouring talk radio, news stations and turning the uninformed masses to madness. I still hold it under the microscope so I'll hold off on my ticker tape parade. I'm a Chronic line-in-between reader and master of connect the dottitry.

Sidenote= connect the dots lalalala is one of the greatest songs to sing ever bc of its gratuitous usage of lalalala.

Ppl always talk about "bringing america back." back to what? a time when you can burn, beat, lynch and hang, not necessarily in that order, black ppl and the law did nothing about it? a time when rape was something ppl looked the other way to? a time when women only had a "place" in the home and kitchen? a time when a person had to live their life in secrecy bc of their sexuality? a time when you could beat the crap out of your wife and kids to no reciprocity? a time when blacks, asians, latinos and anyone one darker than a khaki off white hue were not allowed to work eat, or live in certain areas?

Sidenote: And then the socially oblivious wonder why ppl have such a problem with the confederate flag.

So when ppl say "bring back america" or "destroying america" what type of america are they talking about? What are they REALLY saying?

MESSAGE!!!!

Posteriorities - Procastinate on Purpose

I never even knew this was an actual word until I heard the concept from Brian Tracey.
To paraphrase him, we all know what PRIORITIES are, simply things that are important that need to be done urgently and need serious attention. So its not tooooo hard to guest what POSTERIORITIES are (PRIOR vs POST, come on, you remember root words right?) simply things of LESS importance that can wait and in all likely hood you should do less of, later..........if at all.

This is such a profound concept to take ownage of and utilize hand in hand with priorities. A wise classmate of mine Kevin Kedroe, once told me (mind you, I was a full time student, with a job, commuting, president of 3 organizations and couldn't give up my social life if you paid me....and they did, but I didn't) "you can do ANYTHING, but you can't do EVERYTHING" and he's absolutely right. When you try do do everything, by default, you will neglect ppl, things, and in many instance, the very ppl and things that require the most attention.

Use this concept to procrastinate on purpose. Just as you write a TO DO list, write a DON'T DO list. Post it somewhere visible as a reminder of things you should do less of, if at all. Saying this to say, I'm 10 days from my elephantine project, The National Society of Black Engineers Annual Convention. This was a huge undertaking bc its the organizations first annual convention outside of the US, so with it came a barrage of obstacles never seen before by the organization. Something I've been actively, adamantly working on as the Director of Programs for the last 2 yrs, almost. So unfortunately......... blogging is now on my DONT DO list for the next two weeks. Probably should have been sooner, but writing is often my solace and I can't go a week anymore without gettin cuss out for not posting, SO YOU'VE BEEN FORMALLY NOTIFIED! There's a couple new blogs so I left enough water and food in the fridge. Stagger and ration em!



I'll post again when my page is updated so you guys get a better picture of what I've been up to, but the planning has gone well.

Wish me well and good luck as I sign off to the land of execution.

Sidenote to self: Upon return, write why "Moder Warfare 2 is crack," "Why Souljah Boy is the truth," aka that dude, and FINALLY get to this "Why 300 is the bestessest movie of all time" bc a non-believe shed doubt.
SHUN THE NON BELIEVER
SHUNNNNNNNNNNNN!! SSSSSSSSSSSHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNNN!!!