St. Petersburg, Florida Saddest City in U.S.

Photo Courtesy of the City of St. Petersburg

Ham on Wry sadly reports that a study published in Men's Health November 28, 2001, names St. Petersburg, Florida as the nation's saddest city.  Detroit, Michigan followed St. Pete as second saddest city.  Other Florida cities show marked sadness as well. Tampa placed fourth and Miami eighth, with Jacksonville at thirteenth and Orlando at nineteenth.  Wow!  What's up with that and who saw it coming? St. Petersburg's mayor, Bill Foster, can't count this as one of his most stellar accomplishments.

Men's Health also concluded, "Florida in general seems to be a depressing place to live."  What is causing the malaise in the state of Florida?  Ham on Wry holds Governor Rick Scott and a legislature determined to undermine citizens rights to easy voting access, clean water, fresh air, and an environment conducive to supporting life as culprits that contributed to our gloom.  Add to that the building boom that created a glut of unsold houses, a precipitous drop in home prices, high unemployment, and a rise in food prices and voila, depression set in.

In its research, the magazine studied data from the CDC on suicide rates, Bureau of Labor Statistics unemployment rates, and SimplyMap for numbers on households that consume anti-depressants and people who report feeling blue all or most of the time.  With all that St. Petersburg offers in amenities-- fine restaurants, the Dali Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts-- to name a few, I was surprised that the city topped the list.  Mayor Foster has "some s'plainin to do."

It takes more than sunshine and fair weather to create happiness.  Residents must have confidence in elected officials and a sense that the economy is at least stabilizing, if not growing.  It seems that confidence is lacking in five urban areas in Florida.  What to do?  We could recall the governor and vote out short-sighted legislators.  Oh, that's right.  Florida has no provision for a recall.  I guess Floridian will have to wait three more years to handle that part of the problem.

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Windows 8: The Coming Storm

Windows 8 is scheduled for release late next year (2012).  It will not be "just another version of Windows" -- it will be the most dramatic change in personal computing since the very first version of Windows replaced "DOS" 21 years ago.  The most fundamental, functional elements of Windows will be massively changed.  These changes compel me to make a recommendation that I very rarely make...


According to recent studies, over 80% of all Windows computer users are still using Windows XP.  There is a good reason for this:  XP still works fine for the needs of most computer users.  Normally, I'd say stick with XP until your computer breaks down (or you just really want a new one).  However, the extremeness of the changes in Windows 8 will be so great, that I recommend that all users of Windows XP upgrade to Windows 7 before Windows 8 is released....

I won't go into detail about all of the changes, because Microsoft is still "tweaking" them.  ...But a concise and simple description is that Windows 8 will operate like a "Smart Phone" (e.g. iPhone, Windows 7 Phone, Blackberry, etc.)  Your familiar desktop will be replaced with the new "Metro User Interface".  This interface will look -- and work -- exactly the same whether it is installed on a Smart Phone, a Tablet PC, a Laptop, or a Desktop PC.

That's right -- a Windows 8 Desktop PC will look and work just like a "giant Smart Phone."

I have serious hesitations about how well this will be accepted by most Windows users (like you.)  A significant number of professionals (like me) have expressed our serious misgivings to Microsoft -- with what has been noted by Microsoft as among the most "frank" complaints they have ever gotten on a pre-release system.  Their response -- translated to simple terms -- is "We don't care whether you like it or not.  This is what we're doing.  ...Deal with it."


My Strong Recommendations

If you are currently using a system with Windows XP, I very strongly recommend that you upgrade to a Windows 7 system before Windows 8 is released.  My reasons:

• Once Windows 8 is released, Microsoft will quickly abandon security and other updates for Windows XP   In fact, Microsoft is already starting a campaign to force XP users to upgrade to Windows 7.  Their efforts will become increasingly aggressive as the release of Window 8 approaches.
• Windows 7 is a good, solid release.  I use it.  There are some things that work differently than in XP, but whatever inconveniences you may encounter with Windows 7, they will be much worse in Windows 8.
• The changes in Windows 8 are not just functional or cosmetic.  They are making deep changes in how the system works, and requiring all software writers to make deep changes in how they write their programs.  This will likely result in a huge number "bugs" in Windows 8, and the software that runs on it.
• Once Windows 8 is released, you may not be able to buy Windows 7, or a system with Windows 7 already installed.

What's the best way to upgrade from Windows XP to Windows 7...?

For most of you, buying a new PC with Windows 7 already installed will be the best option.  I'm sorry to tell you this.  I don't sell PC's, so I don't stand to profit from this fact.  The PC hardware that ran Windows XP isn't likely to be powerful enough, and upgrading that hardware would cost as much as (or more than) buying a new PC.

The only exception is if your PC has a sticker on it that says "Windows Vista Compatible".  In this case, you could install an upgrade to Windows 7 with little or no hardware changes.  However, the cost for doing this will still be close to the cost of a low-end PC with Windows 7 already installed.  (NOTE:  If your PC has a sticker that says "Windows Vista Capable", it will not run Windows 7 without hardware upgrades -- if at all.)

For some systems, upgrading to Windows 7 will be an economical solution.  For others, it won't.  It depends on what hardware is in your system.

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Response to Anonymous Comments on Grover Norquist November 27 Blog

Ham on Wry offers apologies to readers for using the blog to reply to one person's comments, but has no other means of doing so, since comments arrive from blogger.com as a no-reply message.  To the person who wrote the comments, thank you for taking the time to send a comprehensive e-mail.  I will reply to those sections that warrant clarification.

Your second, third and fourth points are all related, so I address them as one.  Please note, I was referring to personal income taxes solely in that section.  Your point raises the issue of corporate (and I assume business) taxes, which does not pertain to my conclusion.  Personal taxes do not affect jobs creation, and I have researched that fully.  You asked if I meant to state public and private sectors rather than for-profit and not-for-profit.  No, I didn't.  Other than government jobs, which fall under the public sector, the for-profit businesses create the vast majority of jobs in this country.  Many emanate from entrepreneurial enterprises.  The not-for-profit sector includes some hospitals, charitable organizations, foundations, etc.  As for your use of "people:", I am referring to individuals, not corporations or other business classifications.  While the Supreme Court classifies corporations as people, which defies logic since they don't breathe, eat, marry, or attend school as a single entity, the tax code differentiates between personal, corporate and business taxes.  Consequently, when I wrote that raising taxes on people that have earned income of $1 million or greater, I was referring to personal income taxes.  FYI, Social Security Data show that 50% of Americans earned less that $26,364 in 2010, while 18% earned more than $1 million that year.

My blog was titled "Grover Norquist Still Spouting Nonsense on Meet the Press", so my conclusion about his statement with respect to his comments about Papa Bush having success in the Gulf War do relate to that title.  Norquist used that as proof that the only reason Bush was not re-elected had to do with a tax increase.

I, too, think national defense is important, but, unlike you, I feel no safer because we waged war in Iraq.  Hussein didn't threaten us, nor did he attack us, nor did he have WMD's.  Thus, I think it's outrageous that we spent over $1 trillion in direct costs and billions more in lost equipment and money that somehow disappeared over eight years and nine months.

You questions why I care who funds Americans for Tax Reform.  With a name like that, I want to see a cross representation of Americans in support of it.  The only contributors I find are foundations and corporations.  I'd like to see a list of individual contributors.  If individuals don't contribute, the name of the organization should change.  You also wondered why I have difficulty with Norquist's influence in Congress.  He is not an elected member of Congress, and, therefore, can't be removed from office.  He threatens Republicans with losing a bid for a seat in Congress, if they don't sign the pledge or rescind it later. Norquist stated it wasn't a pledge to him; it was a pledge to the American people.  I know many Americans who asked for no such pledge. Warren Buffett among them.

You said you'd like to be a millionaire some day, and I hope you succeed.  It is different when you want to make life better for your family than it is if you use money to sway political decisions.  Class warfare is a term I find divisive,.  It's employed anytime one suggest something that the uber rich might do, and my comments don't fault people for being rich.  I do take issue with people who have gained wealth by risking other's money and suffering no consequences.  Taxpayers pay dearly for that kind of personal gain.

Again, thank you for your comments.

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Kansas Governor Upset over Teen's Tweet

Kansas Senior Emma Sullivan

Emma Sullivan learned far more about the issue of free speech than she anticipated.last week. The Shawnee Mission East senior, who participated in a Youth in Government program November 21st, tweeted from the back of a crowd of students listening to Brownback's greeting. "Just made mean comments at gov. brownback and told him he sucked, in person #heblowsalot." Evidently, Governor Sam Brownback's staff didn't find that acceptable.  Hus office monitors social media for content mentioning the governor's name and contacted Youth in Government when they found Sullivan's tweet.


The next day, Sullivan was summoned to the principal's office, but she had no idea why.  Principal Karl R. Krawitz informed her that she had embarrassed the school and must write a letter of apology to the governor by this morning and even provided her with a few talking points.  Sullivan protested, saying that she had made no such comments and was "joking around." 


Sullivan's nineteen-year-old sister Olivia Olivia Sullivan, a political science major at Wichita State University, said, "I think it is embarrassing to the governor and to the administration of the school and the school district to waste time and taxpayer money on something so petty.  And it’s discouraging to children when they are told they can’t speak their mind."  Ham on Wry agrees.  This kind of exaggerated response typifies the minutiae that dominates many politician's thoughts today.  If I lived in Kansas, I would protest the time, attention, and money spent on such a ridiculous effort.


Okay, perhaps Emma Sullivan made a mistake in tweeting some of the language in that comment, but the whole situation summons up thoughts of Big Brother watching our every move.  Our right to free speech allows hate mongers to express themselves.  Sullivan is a high school student who never got in trouble before this.  Her actions don't come close to the kind of frothing-at-the-mouth comments made by Obama haters.  Should we just arrest the entire population of the United States as a preemptive strike against any kind of possible disagreement? 


Ham on Wry considers this a classic case of "making a mountain out of a mole hill."  Sullivan has received volumes of support for refusing to write a letter of apology, and Ham on Wry suggests that Governor Brownback's office should apologize to her for creating a viral media event over something so small. I wonder if Dorothy would still repeat, "There's no place like home" while clicking the heels of her ruby red shoes together in referring to Kansas, if she witnessed this event.  


Just in, Governor Brownback has apologized has apologized to Emma Sullivan for his staff member's overreaction to her tweet, thus proving my point.  Now, it Krawitz's turn.

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Grover Norquist Still Spouting Nonsense on Meet the Press

Politico Photo

Grover Norquist's interview with David Gregory this morning on Meet the Press left Ham on Wry puzzled.    The fact that Norquist represented the Republican view of the Super Committee's negotiation is disquieting at best.  Prior to Norquist, New York Senator Chuck Schumer discussed the same situation; however, he actually serves in Congress.  Do readers find it strange that a person who does not hold office in Congress explains what happened during the Super Committee's meetings?  Norquist heads Americans for Tax Reform, an organization focused on never raising taxes on anyone.

For a man who proclaims himself "smarter than the average bear", he lacks the ability to follow through with logic.  He told Gregory that the Super Committee didn't fail.  Check the definition of failure, Mr. Norquist. He spouts rhetoric that raising taxes slows the economy and kills jobs.  That makes no sense at all.when referring to personal income taxes  He said government spending doesn't create jobs.  Who creates them?  Businesses in both the profit and not-for-profit sectors do.  Raising taxes on the people earning over $1 million does not affect job creation.  Norquist's message of no focuses on just one issue: taxes, but he never explains how he would maintain the charge of government set forth in the Constitution of the United States.  Our nation has changed drastically since the union formed, and he would hold us to a level of taxes that existed at the turn of the twentieth century.

When Gregory asked him about the tax hikes that occurred under Reagan and Papa Bush, Norquist blamed the Democrats for not following through on a promise to reduce spending.  Did someone hold a gun to their heads?  They signed the acts into law.  In fact, Reagan favored a tax hike.  Norquist praised Bush's success in getting Iraq out of Kuwait without occupying the country. Really?   Perhaps he should review the opinions expressed by some of the leaders of the Gulf War like General Norman Schwarzkopf, Jr. to determine their view of the campaign.  He would find that many of them, thought that they should have killed Saddam Hussein then.  Norquist attributed Bush's loss to Clinton because he had raised taxes.  I strongly disagree because the election reflected strong sentiment against the outcome of that war.  

Norquist must have also forgotten that a Republican president started the war with Iraq in 2003 without fully understanding the consequences.  The long occupation there occurred because of Bush's son and Obama is bringing them home.  Speaking of government spending, take a look at the cost of that war.  The government approved over $1 trillion for that war, the vast majority of which was spent during the Bush years.  That amount doesn't include the many billions of dollars lost or unaccounted for or the vast amount is lost equipment.  Those figures apply only to the Iraq War and not to Afghanistan.

Ham on Wry wants to know who funds Americans for Tax Reform.  I suspect the list would include many of the wealthiest people in the country, but that information can be kept secret.  Norquist can spout his single-minded mantra like a broken robot, but citizens don't know who supports him.  Why has this person gained so much power over the past 25 years?  Why do Republicans allow him to strong-arm them into signing a pledge that they will never raise taxes?  Does this country need politicians who march to the tune of a  drummer whose motives might well be self-serving?  The lower the taxes, the more money the wealthiest few can keep.  

This post was not written in support of one party over the other.  It emphasizes that one lobbyist wields far too much influence on members of Congress.  Maybe the Occupy movement should occupy Americans for Tax Reform Headquarters.  It could shine a light on a disturbing group and its leader.

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Ham on Wry Award-Natalie Wood's Death Updates

Natalie Wood  (left) with her Sister Lana, Getty Images

The Ham on Wry Award goes to the reopened investigation of Natalie Wood's death November 29, 1981.  New information makes the case more and more curious, although determining the credibility of such evidence  poses great difficulty after thirty years.  To recap, Dennis Davern, the captain of the yacht on which Wood, her husband Robert Wagner, and her co-star Christopher Walken from the movie Brainstorm were cruising off Catalina Island, now claims that Wagner bears responsibility for Wood's death (see November 18 post).

This week, two additional witnesses have come forward with evidence that raises questions about the original investigation in Wood's drowning.  Earlier this week, Entertainment Tonight interviewed Marilyn Wayne, a woman who was cruising with her boyfriend and her son in the area where Woods drowned.  She said that her boyfriend John heard a woman screaming, woke her and her son, and they also heard the screams.  She called the sheriff's department in Avalon, and they said they would send a helicopter to search the waters.  It never came, and she was never interviewed after Wood was found.  She also claims that she received a threatening note telling her to keep quiet about the incident three days after it occurred.  Unless she kept that note, that part will be difficult to prove.

The second witness tells a story based on a first-hand account because he found Natalie Wood and pulled her out of the water.  Captain Roger Smith, a Los Angeles County supervising rescue boat captain, at the time, has had doubts about what happened since that day.  He believes that Wood could have been saved, if the search had started earlier and supported that conclusion by stating, “Based on the condition of her body when we pulled her from the water, I believe she survived for some time in the water and was blown out to sea. She probably cried for help for hours. I’ve always believed she could have been saved. Her fingers were still pliable when she was pulled from the water, suggesting she had not been dead for hours."(quote from an article written by Richard Winton, LA Times)

Han on Wry refrains from drawing specific conclusions yet.  However, it appears that the investigation that occurred in 1981 did not assemble all of the facts, nor did the detectives conduct some relevant interviews that might have brought more clarity to the case.  The coroner did not draw the same conclusions as the man who pulled her from the water, which seems odd.  The public might never learn the full truth of Wood's death, but the original account has some gaping holes.  Ham on Wry hopes that the new investigation can bring closure for those who have had unanswered questions for thirty years.

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A Day of Thanks

Ham on Wry expresses gratitude for all the readers who follow the blog regularly or read it when a specific topic invites their interest.  Many readers reside in other countries, so the American Thanksgiving holiday isn't celebrated where they live.  Ham on Wry sends special thanks to those who live afar and hopes some of the posts have entertained, informed, or enlightened you.

So, on this day, send me your comments about something for which you are thankful, and I'll post some of the  most touching in a future blog, if I receive enough of them.  Ham on Wry wishes you a Happy Thanksgiving wherever you are in the world.

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J. R. Martinez Wins Dancing with the Starts Mirrorball Trophy

J. R. Martinez poses with his Mirrorball trophy as partner Karina Smirnoff beams a smile after their Season 13 win on Dancing with the Stars last night.  Following ten weeks of drama, Ham on Wry applauds the choice of Martinez and Smirnoff, but confesses that the blog has issues with DWTS previously revealed in a past blog.  I watched the first three seasons of the show intermittently and then found the whole process flawed.  This season offered no exception.  Contestant Nancy Grace did not live up to her name, as her performances lacked grace and style.  The only reason she remained so long was her over-the-top, incessant demand for votes.  Therein, lies the show's biggest failing.  It has morphed into just a popularity contest.

Rob Kardashian and his partner Cheryl Burke won second place, which illustrates another weakness in the process by which contestants remain on the show.  The Kardashian family, Kim especially, took shameful advantage of the hype that surrounded her wedding to solicit votes for her brother.  To his credit, he  improved during the season, but his hand and arm movements still appear somewhat mechanical.  Ham on Wry has grown weary of all things Kardashian.  Please, no more!

By far, the best performance from the three finalists came from Ricki Lake and her partner Derek Hough when they reprised their Psycho tango from week four.  Lake and Hough had accumulated the most points of any of the finalists, yet they wound up in third place.  It defies logic that Kardashian should have topped Lake.  "How do you know all this since you don't watch the show?", a reader might wonder.  I can cut all the ads and blather by viewing performances on YouTube, much preferable to watching a show that runs for two hours but could be cut to one.  Lake stole the show last night, which makers her a winner, even though she didn't take home the trophy.  Don't send slings and arrows my way, Martinez fans.  Martinez displayed dazzling footwork and style, so his win was well deserved.


Ham on Wry's final comment on Dancing with the Stars is really a plea.  Clean up the process, DWTS.  Change the title of the show, if you're not going to distinguish between stardom and fame. The terms are not synonymous.  Judges need to be more than window dressing.  They have the expertise, and their opinion should count for more.  Judges, tone down the histrionics and stick to professional assessments.  Choose stars who show some glimmer of talent as contestants.  And please, .reduce the number of drawn-out pauses when announcing who stays and who goes!

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University of California Davis Use of Pepper Spray Spawns Further Protests

Demonstrators at UC Davis Monday   Paul Sakuma/AP photo

Last Friday, students at UC Davis staged a non-violent protest against the massive rise in tuition costs that have doubled since the 2003-2004 session and are projected to increase from 8%-16% from 2012-2016 under the latest plan presented by administrators.  Readers have most likely seen the video depicted in the placard a student holds in the photo above.  The video showed campus police in full-fledged riot gear taking a stance similar to those seen in violent demonstrations in many countries earlier this year.  When two of the officers leaned down and used full-strength pepper spray aimed at the faces of several students sitting peacefully on the sidewalk, it defied any form of defense later offered by UC Davis Police Chief Annette Spicuzza who told reporters Saturday that the decision to use the pepper spray was made at the scene.  Is that supposed to explain an unwarranted violent action against demonstrators who  quietly sat on the ground with no defense?

The two officers who used pepper spray were placed on administrative leave with pay following the backlash from the video that blasted across the world.  Finally, the administration placed the police chief on leave Monday.  The number of officers that arrived at Friday's demonstration made it appear that they expected extreme violence at the scene, although no evidence of that existed there.

Yesterday, over a thousand protesters erected an encampment after UCD"s Chancellor, Linda Katehi's attempt to apologize was met with boos and cries of outrage.  At best, the chancellor is sadly out of touch with student unrest on the campus, and, at worst, she has ignored the signs, thus allowing for the over-the-top campus police response.  Why did it take so long for her to issue an apology?  That should have occurred immediately with the kind of evidence available on video.

If anything, this abhorrent situation should shine a light on the need for restraint from both police and demonstrators.  Students are facing a world awash with economic concerns and dim job prospects. When politicians like Newt Gingrich say, "Get a job!", it trivializes a movement that reflects the anger in our society.  No simple answers exist to place our country on a positive track and sound bite rhetoric does nothing to help, so stifle your stupidity, Newt!  America needs a thoughtful dialogue absent the political grandstanding.  Ham on Wry doesn't see much hope of that happening with the current offering of candidates.

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Grover Norquist's Alarming Control of the Republican Party

Photo from www.welt.de

Ham on Wry has been tracking information about Grover Norquist for a future blog, and the time has come to write it.  To use a favorite sentence typing teachers used for student practice, "Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country."  Norquist has headed Americans for Tax Reform since 1986, but Grover Norquist's Quest for Aggrandizement Support would be more a more apt name for the group.

Norquist's mission should send the American public into a state of panic, and two situations arose this week to make that case.  The first occurred, Wednesday, November 16th, when Patriotic Millionaires visited Capitol Hill to advocate for a tax hike on those earning over $1 million.  Norquist gave them the following advice: "If you think the federal government can spend your money better than you can, then by all means pay more in taxes than you owe. The IRS should have a little line on the form where people can donate money to the government, just like the tip line on a restaurant receipt.” His smug, sarcastic comments typify his supercilious attitude toward anyone he feels beneath his level of intelligence, which pretty much means everyone except Grover Norquist.

The second occasion spurred Ham on Wry to move this post to critical status.  60 Minutes aired a segment last night in which Steve Kroft interviewed Norquist.  That interview should sound a wake-up call to all sentient citizens.  Norquist has successfully badgered almost every Republican member of Congress, 279 in all, to sign a pledge stating that they will never vote to raise taxes on anyone, under any circumstances.  The Speaker of the House, the Senate Minority Leader, and the six Republican Members of the Super Committee have all signed that pledge.  Never?  Ham on Wry deplores that pledge and the man who conceived it.  He'd like us to return to the beginning of the 20th Century with respect to taxes.  No wonder the Super Committee can't do its job.

What we have here is a megalomaniac who wields a level of power akin to that of a dictator.  If Republicans either rescind their signature or fail to sign the pledge, Norquist will gather his forces to make certain that they don't survive a re-election effort.  His insufferable smile depicts the self-satisfied, superior attitude of a man who has become "a legend in his own mind."  Republicans who buckle to his pressure are wimps and not worthy of making laws for this country.  Norquist spoke of weakening the Republican brand if total agreement to the pledge doesn't happen.  Ham on Wry grows weary of the term branding.  He really means that it weakens their targeted manipulation of voters and his power to control the Republican Party.  Political parties should comprise a range of beliefs, not a single-minded effort to achieve something that makes little sense, unless you have great wealth and want more at the expense of the majority of the country's citizens.  Norquist has revealed himself to be entirely self-serving.  He hides behind his non-profit and demands of others what he won't do himself.  He will not reveal the list of contributors to his organization.  I wonder why?  I leave readers to draw their own conclusions.

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Check Your Adobe Acrobat and Update It -- ASAP!

Almost every computer that uses the Internet has a version of Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on it.  You need to check your PC and make sure that your version of Adobe Reader is Version 9 or above.  If it isn't, you have a significant risk of your PC being infected by a virus.  You should uninstall whatever version of Adobe Reader you are using, then go to adobe.com and install the latest (free) version of Adobe Acrobat Reader.  NOTE:  Watch out for the opt-out or it may install another unwanted toolbar on your Internet browser!   "Read more" for further details.

About two years ago, hackers discovered huge security holes in Adobe products.  This lead to a major wave of virus infections in computers.  Since Adobe is a huge economic power in the IT industry, they were able to squelch most of the bad publicity about their gross negligence. 

Since this debacle came and went years ago, I haven't included it in this blog -- until now -- because I've realized that there are still many users out there who still are using the old, Swiss-Cheese versions of Adobe software.

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Super Committee Predicts Failure to Agree

Members of the Super Committee/Democrats above Republicans below

Ham on Wry truly believed that the twelve Congressional members pictured above would leave partisan politics at the door and. as the Super Committee, forge some kind of agreement before Wednesday's looming deadline.  Given the consequences attached to the failure to do so, it seemed that the American public could count on some degree of success.  With comments made by members of the Super Committee on today's political talk shows, it appears little hope remains that they will start behaving like adults.

With the most recent polls showing an approval rating for members of Congress at 9%, this will most likely call the Grim Reaper forth on their political careers.  Years ago, I taught junior high and witnessed some of the most ridiculous posturing and name calling one could imagine; however, this debacle shows that just because someone ages in years, doesn't mean that wisdom accompanies the chronological changes.  Woe will fall on the vast majority of this country's citizens, as a result of the Super Committee's juvenile behavior.  There's no "throwing the baby out with the bath water" in this situation.  Everyone needs to go!  Instead of seeking compromise, both parties entrench themselves in political ideology.  Guess what?  That doesn't increase revenue, promote a fair and reasonable tax system, or fund critical program.

Now what happens?  That seems to depend on which expert one consults.  Sadly, if the Super Committee fails, a sequester will occur that forces them to cut $1.2 trillion from the budget, half from defense spending and half from other programs.  No matter how I study the issue, the picture looks dim for education of all types and programs for the disadvantaged.  Entitlement programs will surely fall under the ax as well.  Ham on Wry suggests that readers conduct their own research, rather than relying solely on that done by the blog.

Ham on Wry leaves this post with a warning for all Americans and for citizens of every county on the globe.  If the lack of leadership and initiative continues, our economy will do anything but thrive.  Citizens must exercise their right to vote in an informed fashion, and that probably means eschewing all TV and radio ads and relying solely on good, old-fashioned reading from a variety of sources and points of view.  A large part of this mess can be attributed to citizen apathy.  This years has shown the dawn of a major awakening regarding the failures we have experienced economically and politically.  No one is waiting in the wings to ride to our rescue.  We must save ourselves and that means taking action.  Do it now, or regret it later!

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Ham on Wry Award-Investigation into Natalie Wood's Death Reopened After 30 Years

Almost thirty years after Natalie Wood drowned November 29, 1981, police are again investigating the circumstances of her demise based on evidence that has recently come to light.  Dennis Davern served as the captain of  the yacht Splendour, owned by Wood and her husband Robert Wagner. The couple and guest Christopher Walken were cruising off Catalina Island over Thanksgiving weekend, and Davern alleged that Robert Wagner actually bears responsibility for Wood's death, during an interview with David Gregory on the Today Show this morning.  He further stated that Wagner nixed his suggestions to call the Coast Guard and turn on the search lights to try to locate Wood.

dailymall.co.uk photo

Davern insisted that he has been telling his story for many years, but no one took him seriously.  Finally, he detailed his account in a 2009 book, Goodbye Natalie, Goodbye Splendour, authored by Marti Rulli.  Wood’s sister Lana has joined Davern in calling for further investigation into her sister’s death.  Davern’s account of the incident differs dramatically from Wagner’s and feeds into doubts she has long harbored

The LA County Sheriff's Department is considering information that recently came to light as well as poring over documents from the original investigation in trying to determine the actual cause of Wood's death.  Detectives will rule out anyone who is attempting to profit from the 30-year anniversary of her drowning in determining the facts.

Wagner claimed that Wood had returned to her stateroom alone after consuming several glasses of wine, but Davern said he heard them arguing loudly on the deck.  Rumors of a love triangle have surfaced several times over the course of the last three decades.  In response, Wagner did explain a few years ago that he and Walken had argued when they returned to the yacht after dinner, but it was professional and not personal in nature.

Ham on Wry draws no specific conclusions from all this, except that the original investigation left a few holes. Wood expressed fear of dark waters, and her sister has always believed it unlikely that Wood would have taken a dinghy to cool off from an argument.  Further, Rulli has doubts about the coroner's conclusion that the red down jacket Wood wore would have caused her death by weighing her down in a struggle to stay afloat  Ham on Wry will post updates as they occur

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Would-be Assassin Arrested in Attempt to Kill President Obama

AP Photo

Last Thursday on Veteran/s Day, an Idaho man drove by the White House and discharged several shots at the building, with at least two hitting their mark. Oscar Ramirez Ortega-Hernandez believes he is Jesus Christ and that President Obama is the anti-Christ, the reason for the assassination attempt  He was obsessed with 11/11/11, according to his father, and purposely chose that day because it was preordained that he should.  Ortega-Hernandez also holds to the prediction that the world will end in 2012, when the Mayan calendar ends, although he recently focused on November 11, 2011 as the possible end of the world, giving him further incentive to kill the president that day.

Ortega-Hernandez evidently didn't check the president's schedule for Thursday because he and wife Michelle were on a trip to Hawaii without Sasha and Malia.  The attack occurred around 9 pm as reported to the Secret Service.  One of the bullets hit a bulletproof glass window located in the residential section of the building.  The other bullet hit in a another unspecified location.

A desk clerk at a hotel in Indiana, PA, recognized Ortega, who was a registered guest there, and called police.  Ortega was arrested and appeared before a magistrate at the federal court in Pittsburgh and will now return to Washington, DC to face charges there.

His mother insists he never showed signs of mental illness prior to his abrupt departure from Idaho Falls to kill the president, although others who knew him saw evidence of his dissembling. One person said he insisted that the federal government was involved in a conspiracy against him and his behavior changed quite dramatically.

Ham on Wry suggests that the law change so that a plea of guilty but insane could be brought against a suspect.  It would certainly cut down on the amount of expert witness testimony.  It could be used in this case as well as against Jarrod Lee Loughner, who shot Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in the head in January.  A person who commits a crime and uses an insanity defense still committed the crime.

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Dog Survives Gas Chamber

Julio Cortez/AP photo

Daniel, a beagle mix, survived an attempt to euthanize him in early October at the Animal Control compound in Florence, Alabama. Along with several other animals, Daniel was placed in a chamber filled with carbon monoxide. Stunned workers named him Daniel after he emerged unscathed from the attempt to take his life. His ordeal is even more amazing than the Biblical character for whom he was named. That Daniel survived the lion's den, so the dog received the moniker because he also defied death, but the dog wasn't given a fighting chance.  How can anyone ignore that lovable face?

Julio Cortez/AP Photo

Eleventh Hour Rescue, a group in New Jersey that saves dogs who are scheduled to be put down, flew Daniel to New Jersey where Mark and Jill Pavlik from Rochelle Park, NJ, fostered him until he was adopted.  Joe Dwyer of Nutley, NJ gave Daniel, aka "Miracle Dog", a permanent home November 10th.  Dwyer already has four other dogs: two dachshunds, a beagle mix like Daniel, and a pit bull mix. All the dogs accepted Daniel into the fold, and they now sleep together.

Ham on Wry loves to post stories with happy endings. Daniel obviously has a lot of living to do and has found a happy home where he will be appreciated. If you love animals and have never adopted a rescue pet, try it. 

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The Update Game: Which Ones To Install?

Computers often barrage you with messages about updating "this and that".  Sometimes these updates cause more problems than they prevent.  Sometimes, viruses get you to install them by posing as (fake) updates.  So I'm often asked which updates should be installed, and which can be ignored.

Very Important Updates

All Windows updates.  These are essential for maintaining your computer's security.  Usually, they will install by themselves, but occasionally, you have to approve them.  These always appear as an icon in the lower-right corner of your screen.  In Windows XP, this icon looks like a yellow shield with an exclamation point in it.  In Vista and Windows 7, the icon looks like a small blue paper with a gold ring around it.  Placing your mouse pointer on the icon will bring up a text bubble asking you to click to start updates.

 All Adobe Updates.  These (also) appear as an icon in the lower-right corner of your screen.  It looks like a small "Adobe" logo.  These updates are essential to insure your system security, as their products are frequently used for websites and documents, and they have had many security holes in them in the past.

Also, if you are using any version of Adobe Reader earlier than 9, you need to uninstall it and go to Adobe.com to download the latest version.  All versions before 9 have serious security risks.

Any updates relating to your security applications.  These are also usually done automatically without your intervention, but if you see any notices that your security application(s) need to be updated, always do what they request.

All Other Updates 

...are usually optional.  My personal philosophy is not to install optional updates unless you are having a problem with the hardware or software that the update is related to.  "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

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"Cloud" Security Applications: Warnings...!

There is a growing business in "Cloud-Based" Anti-Virus and security applications.  (e.g. Panda Cloud)  Are they any good?  

Reviewers mostly say that they are.  However, all the reviews I've read so far are based on the same type of useless methodologies as most "big-name" security applications.  (For more explanation on why these testing standards are useless, see my post:  "What's the best Anti-Virus?")

My quick answer:

At this time, I believe that Cloud-Based Anti-Virus and security applications have significant weaknesses and vulnerabilities.  I definitely would NOT use one now, nor in the immediate future.  

Why: 

One of the main "benefits" touted for Cloud AV's is that the virus signature database is not stored on your PC.  Instead, it's stored on The Cloud, where it is "updated more frequently" than it would be on your PC.  Counterpoints:

1. The frequency of the signature database updates -- in this kind of situation -- will provide little or no "real world" improvement on the security of your PC.  In fact, it benefits the "Cloud Provider" a lot more than it does you.
2. For a security application to be effective, it must be able to work faster than the virus itself can work.  If the signature database resides in the cloud, even under optimum conditions, accessing the Cloud signature database will be far slower than if it resided on your PC.  Delays in accessing the signature database can have dangerous repercussions.
3. It is very normal for access to the Internet to be unreliable and unusually slow.
4. If you have no access to the Internet, your security is severely impaired or non-existent.  ...Even the publishers of these applications admit this.

Another so-called benefit of Cloud-Based Security is that it requires less "System Resources" than applications installed on your PC.  Counterpoint:

1. For some older Windows XP systems, this might be useful.  However, any system that is well-maintained and "Vista Compatible"-- or currently running Vista or Windows 7 -- has more than enough computing "horse-power" to provide better security using a security application installed completely on your PC.
   

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What is "The Cloud"?

"The Cloud" is "The Internet".  It's another embarrassingly deceptive Information Technology Marketing Invention. I hate the term, but the services are here to stay.  They have some distinct advantages for some types of businesses.  For single end-users, there is only one:

• Having a single, central access to your files and applications, from where ever you are, through any computer.

The disadvantage for single end-users are:

• If you have no Internet access, you cannot access your files and applications.
• Using your files and applications efficiently is entirely dependent upon the speed of your (current) Internet connection.
• The speed of your (current) Internet connection is entirely dependent upon:

1. How well the current ISP is managing their network.
2. How well your Cloud Provider is managing their network.
3. Internet conditions beyond the control of either the ISP or your Cloud Provider.

I do use some Cloud Services because they are very convenient, however, I am not dependent on them.  I can switch back to entirely using my computers within a few hours, without losing any files or application functions.  This is because -- while they are very convenient, I frequently curse them and consider dumping them because they frequently fail for one reason or another -- usually when I need them the most.


To be objective -- I expect that reliability problems will eventually improve to a point where Cloud services are a totally good thing.  But, "It ain't there, yet."

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Brian’s “Quick Guide” to Password Creation & Security

Passwords are a necessary aggravation.  There really are no ways to guarantee your password will stay secure, you can only do your best to balance your needs against how much hassle you’re willing to tolerate.  The following considerations don’t lead to a conclusion – they are simply facts to help you choose password security that you can live with -- comfortably.

The most common ways that passwords are stolen or “cracked”

• Keystroke loggers.  These record every key that you press, and store it in a file.  This file is later collected by the hacker who searches it for your passwords. Keystroke loggers can be secretly installed programs, or physical devices attached between your keyboard and computer.  
• Peeking over your shoulder.  Someone can watch you type in your password.  If they don’t get it the first time, they usually will after watching a few times.
• Password “Crackers”.  Programs that use a special dictionary to "guess" your password by attempting trying to access your password-protected account with each new "guess".  The dictionary can be created by inputting personal information about you (birthdays, family and pet names, etc.) and it will try using combinations of this information in ways that people commonly use them.  (This method is  also called "Brute-Force cracking".) 

General countermeasures

• Against Keystroke loggers:  Limit physical access to your PC.  Check for devices attached to the keyboard.  Use a high-quality security application that can detect Keystroke Loggers, and set it to scan your system at regular intervals.  Use the on-screen keyboard to enter your password.  (...It's an Accessibility feature that allows you to use your mouse for typing).  Change your password often.
• Against Peeking:  Position yourself so that others can’t watch you type.  Use a long password, and practice typing it until you can do it very rapidly.  Use letters on the middle and lower rows of the keyboard and include shifted characters. Change your password often.
• Against Password Crackers:  Don’t create passwords based on personal information.  Include numbers, shifted characters, and punctuation marks in your password.  Use random characters instead of words.  Change your password often.
• Use A Password Management Program:  These programs remember your passwords and automatically enter them for you.  You activate the program by entering a single "Master" password.  Since these  programs don't use physical keys to enter passwords, they cannot be recorded by a Keystroke Logger.

Problems with the above countermeasures

• Random character passwords are the hardest to crack, but also the most difficult to remember.
• Changing your password often creates more hassle with practicing typing it quickly, making it more vulnerable to Peeking.
• Long passwords are harder to Peek or Crack, but a hassle to type, especially if you have to enter passwords frequently.
• Including punctuation makes passwords more secure, but many account logins will not allow them in the password.  (e.g. Facebook)
• Password Managers require that you use one central password to start the program.  Of course, it can be "Peeked" or "Logged" or "Cracked" like any other password.  (However, it still greatly reduces opportunities to steal passwords.)  If a hacker gets your Master password, he/she then has all of them.

Tips for creating good passwords that are easier to remember

• Choose a favorite quote.  Use the first (or second, or third) character in each word.
• To create groups of punctuation that are still easy to remember, pick a significant number that you can remember, and type it while holding down the shift key.
• Split words (or numbers) in half and mix them up.
• Use “nonsense” four-word sentences with no spaces.  (e.g. horsebootsspaceriver)  It creates an image that is hard to forget, but has no significance to a password cracker.  Practice typing it a few times and you are unlikely to forget it.

About Password Managers

I use Roboform for my Password Manager.  It is very powerful, popular, and has many good features -- but I'll admit it's not as "Intuitive" as I'd like.  You also have to pay for it (but the price is very reasonable.)  There are other popular and free Password Managers.  (Google "Password Manager" for more suggestions.)  Also, many security programs include Password Managers.  (e.g. Norton Security.)

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Bob Costas' Interview with Jerry Sandusky

AP photo taken the day of Jerry Sandusky's  Arrest

Ham on Wry tuned in to Rock Center last night to watch Bob Costas interview Jerry Sandusky live. While Costas was visible on the screen throughout the interview, Sandusky's disembodied voice answered questions by phone.  This blogger found the interview eerie and deeply disturbing for a number of reasons.

The greatest shock occurred when Sandusky admitted to Costas that he had indeed showered with some boys, but had not sexually assaulted any of them.  Really, Mr. Sandusky?  Do you believe that showering with a young boy would gain approval from his parents?  Certainly, a sexual assault is the worst of all possible scenarios in this situation, but just being in the shower with those boys crosses the line of decency.  His attorney must have paled at that admission.

Sandusky also admitted to "horsing around" with young boys and touching them, but not in a sexual manner. Costas then inquired if Sandusky were sexually attracted to underage, young boys.   Sandusky repeated the question after a short pause and then took a while before he replied, "No." He added that he loved young people and liked to be around them.  Many adults like to be around young people, Mr. Sandusky, but they don't touch them inappropriately.  Those that do cross a line into suspicious behavior.  Ham on Wry feels that the interview made Sandusky look worse than if he had refused to speak.

The impressions share in this post are just that--impressions.  The accused have a right to a fair trial and are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.  It seems that the number of people reporting abuse has risen considerably since the charges were first brought against Sandusky.  This debacle, which has cast Penn State into a shadowy light, should serve as a warning to all who interact with underage children.  Always err on the side of modesty and involve parents whenever kids will travel with an unrelated adult.      

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What's the best Anti-Virus?

Updated November 15, 2011

NOTE:  These recommendations are only for security applications that are installed on your PC, NOT for Cloud security applications.  Read the post "Cloud Security Applications: Warnings...!"
 

You'll get a LOT of advice and preferences from your friends and other "experts". Here are my current recommendations....

The top three companies that I recommend are (still) Avira, Eset, and Kaspersky.

AVG and McAfee are not great, but better than they were.  I don't see nearly as many problems with these now as I used to.  I really don't have any of the "heavy hitters" on my Avoid List at this time.  All are doing at least acceptably well.  

Avast, Microsoft Products -- along with all others not mentioned here -- are just "average". (...And "average" will serve you very well, if you keep your system well-maintained, and avoid sources of infections...)

I use Avira Premium Security Suite on my critical systems. It has a slightly higher rate of false positives, but I'd rather deal with a few false positives than get an infection.

Other important advice...

1.) Understand that no security application will block all viruses and malware, all the time.  All security applications will fail, sometimes.

2.) Understand that there is a difference between "Anti-Virus" and "Anti-Malware" programs. This would take a page of explanation by itself (which is why I made separate post on this topic.)

3.) Toss out all official "lab" evaluations and magazine reviews of security application performance. They are all conducted on identical systems under pristine conditions. This is useless for a "real-world" product that must perform consistently within a huge range of hardware and software configurations, and an equal range of (in)adequate maintenance.

4.) Toss out all all individuals reporting that their favorite security programs "have never failed them". ...Never failed them against what? If these people are smart, and stay away from potential infection sources, their security software will never be tested very well. So they really don't know how well it performs when things go wrong.   Also, these kind of people tend to be ones who keep their systems well maintained -- and that's half the battle against infections by itself.

5.) Toss out all reports recommending AV software on the basis of popularity or the number of viruses they detect. a:) Popularity is almost entirely based on a companies marketing effectiveness, and has little to do with it's performance. b:) Detection rate is NOT the most important characteristic of an AV. The most important characteristic is how well it can defend against a powerful attack, and how well it detects and blocks the really "nasty" viruses (as opposed to the insignificant annoyances.)

If you want to find the best AV, ask people who use their PC's the same way that you do, and for the same things. Make sure you're getting advice from people who *know* positively that their computer has survived a serious security attack because their AV functioned properly.

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Capital One Sets an Example for Other Credit Card Companies

Capital One Headquarters

The rather nondescript building pictured at top houses the headquarters of Capital One in McLean, Virginia.  Why should Ham on Wry care about that?  The answer lies in its quiet effort to consolidate all customer service positions by bringing them back to the United States.  Ham on Wry has not been able to corroborate the extent to which Capital One has succeeded in that endeavor, but has talked to a number of employees to confirm that it's happening.  While varying accounts of the timeline have been given, it seems the initiative has begun.

Ham on Wry has presented several posts that deal with the economy and efforts to create jobs, including those about Willliston, ND, an oil boom town and Fairbreault, MN, where a woolen mill has reopened.  Posts have also discussed the idea of taxing outsourced jobs the same as exported products.  Even if it takes over a year to accomplish the return of Capital One's credit card customer service, it will provide jobs that currently don't exist.  The effort could also encourage other credit card companies to do the same.  In fact, it could spill over into other corporations that outsource customer service to "save money."  Ham on Wry questions how much money is actually saved by doing so.  Customer dissatisfaction costs money and time. From discussions I've had with colleagues and friends, general agreement about the frustration caused by lost connections, repeating information, and problems in resolving issues illustrates a high level of dissatisfaction in the process.  Some have closed accounts after negative outcomes.

Ham on Wry assures readers that the author is neither a protectionist nor an isolationist, as yesterday's post also declares.  The author considers herself a pragmatist and, therefore, offers the following suggestion.  Call all credit card companies with whom you do business and request that they re-establish all of their customer service centers in this country.  We have seen banks rescind their monthly debit card fees because of consumer actions.  Demanding that customer service jobs go to Americans would impact not just the consumer, but it would also provide jobs to those qualified for the positions.

One final note worth mentioning: while conducting research on this topic, a Capital One representative recently told me that the company no longer cares about how much time reps spend with customers because its primary emphasis lies with customer relationships.  What a concept!  If one company can see the light and return to an effective means of dealing with customer issues, so can others.  Spread the word!

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Leadership and Action Missing in 112th Congress

Harry Reid(left)and John Boehner(right)

Harry Reid, Majority Leader of the Senate and John Boehner, Speaker of the House, deserve no better than to be pictured as the bullseye on targets that measure congressional inaction.  Both parties and both houses should hang their heads in shame for their inept handling of the major economic, security, and health issues that remain in limbo because of their failure to act.  As Lee Iaccoca famously opined, "Lead, follow, or get out of the way."  Since no substantive leadership has occurred in either house and none of the members show any ability to do so, Ham on Wry believes it's time to get out of the way.

Occupy Wall Street and all of its derivatives are still calling attention to the great disparity that exists in incomes for corporate CEO's and others in the 1% in comparison to the 99%.  Part of the reason this inequality has grown so much greater over the past 50 years lies in the fact that Congress has passed laws that helped facilitate an increasing gap.  Who wouldn't want a job in which a person can earn a salary on average 30 times greater than the average employee in the company, pocket a huge bonus by risking the money of clients, and then walk off with a golden handshake when the company either fails or another so-called leader is hired to save the day.  Financial Services firms that have grown "too big to fail" should recognize this scenario.

The biggest losers in this country are not trying to shed pounds on a TV show.  American taxpayers have wound up as the biggest losers.  We continue to fund programs that don't work, trips for Congressional members that have little to do with government, and allow these thieves to line their pockets while they serve office.  No wonder recent college graduates have difficulty handling the debts from college loan.  This Congress has done nothing to create conditions that would foster jobs here.  I have an idea.  Tax all the corporations that outsource to other countries in the same way other exports are taxed.  How many of you enjoy talking with someone in India about customer service?  Customer service for American companies belongs in the US.

For the sake of clarification, Ham on Wry assures readers that its author is neither a protectionist nor an isolationist.  We have a global economy, but our businesses in this country should keep jobs here and let other countries keep their jobs as home as well.  We'll still have many products to trade.  It appears that common sense no longer exists in government.  Job creation comes from the private sector, but the government can make it difficult to take jobs that already exist her and send them to another country.  This blog calls for Harry Reid and John Boehner to step down at the end of their respective terms and allow people to take over who have innovative ideas and leadership qualities to move this country into the 21st Century, albeit several years since the 21st Century began.  Time to get out of the way, gentlemen!

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Ham On Wry Award-"Personhood Amendment Defeated in Mississippi

Bruce Newman/AP photo

Ham on Wry has been celebrating the defeat Tuesday of proposed Amendment 26, or as it's more commonly known, the "Personhood" Amendment.  Given that Mississippi lies in the heart of the Bible Belt, the failure to pass the onerous amendment speaks volumes.  Although naysayers of the results blame Planned Parenthood for the ballot initiative's defeat, Ham on Wry hopes the real reason stems from common sense overriding emotion.  Fifty-eight percent of voters cast a "no" vote on the measure.

Those who opposed the amendment emphasized that it had potential consequences beyond abortion. Methods of birth control, in vitro fertilization, and a doctor's ability to properly oversee the health of pregnant women could also be affected by the wording of the document.  If anything, the real game changer should have been the inclusion of rape and incest victims in the amendment (see Monday's post).

Ham on Wry considers this a victory for all, because it allows citizens to exercise freedom of choice in handling their personal affairs.  Women should have full control of decisions that affect their bodies and their capacity to bear and raise a child in a healthy manner.  Ham on Wry also wonders why people must adhere to restrictive religious beliefs, when one God creates us all in the view of most major religions.  Other first world nations don't struggle with this kind of dogma, and neither should we.  What happened to the principle of separation of church and state?  The government should not act as the arbiter in situations involving whether or not to give birth to a child.

Unfortunately, we have not seen the end of the attempts to make abortion illegal.  "Personhood" supporters have plans to place similar ballot initiative in six other states, if allowed.  Women should be especially disturbed by these attempts to limit their freedom.  I lived during a time when abortion was illegal, but that didn't stop women from finding a way to have an abortion performed.  America must nurture those children that are already born more effectively.  Let's place efforts there.

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Joe Paterno Fired--Not Allowed to Resign

Gene J. Puskar, AP

Ham on Wry is posting an update to yesterday's blog about Joe Paterno's retirement.  Last night, the Penn State Board of Trustees unanimously voted to fire Joe Paterno, along with the expected ouster of Graham Spanier.  Paterno is pictured above with his wife Susan after receiving a call that delivered the news of his firing. The expression on their faces tells an emotional story.  They thanked well wishers and encouraged the football team to win the upcoming game against Nebraska.

After the announcement, thousands of students expressed their anger at the news that Paterno would not be allowed to finish the season.  They congregated at the administration building shouting that they wanted Joe back and then headed for Beaver Stadium, where some pushed over a news van and threw rocks to illustrate their frustration at the decision.

Some questions remain for the Board of Trustees in their handling of the sex scandal.  Despite the fact that Athletic Director Tim Curley and Vice President for Finance Gary Shultz were charged Tuesday for their mishandling of the situation by not reporting Jerry Sandusky's sexual misconduct and lying to a Grand Jury, they remain on the payroll at Penn State.  The university has expressed its support of the two, which not only defies logic, it also reveals a university in chaos.  Fire one, fire them all.

The Penn State sex scandal happened on a much smaller scale than the abomination which occurred in the Catholic Church's cover-up of priests sexually abusing children in their parish.  I thought that horrendous affair would serve as a lesson to others who are in positions of trust.  Jerry Sandusky obviously missed that point and has wreaked havoc on many people's lives.  Ham on Wry reminds readers that the real victims in this scandal are the children who suffered abuse and their families.  All others had choices about their actions.

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