142 karma · joined February 21, 2018
https://www.35mmc.com/30/03/2023/focus-adjustment-and-other-...
I’m still working for the man, though.
I recall a time that I wrote a program that called for a tape mount and a file to be read where this file spanned 2 volumes. There was a 3270 terminal next to the tape reader. After the job is submitted, I was amazed at the velocity of the read.
The all time favorite raised floor data center story: I worked for a commercial software vendor back in the day where sufficient physical security for the data center was a lock on the building door, but no locks to the raised tile floor area.
One day I walked through the doors of the data center and everything was covered in a fine ash-like powder. Another employee brought their young child with him to the data center. This child pressed the red button labeled “Haylon Dump”.
I was told by the operators on watch that everyone was lucky to find their way out safely.
New locks were installed the next and badge swipes were required for entry.
Amazingly, all the hardware mostly survived.
One copy of the book on Amazon was over $100.
No need to go that far back in the history of the U.S. Government spying on it's own citizens. In the late 1960's, the Nixon Administration used IRS data to spy on Vietnam war protesters, Dr. Martin Luther King, members of the Student's Non-Violent Coordination Committee, and other American citizens critical of the administration's foreign policy[1].
Human behavior being what it is means that eventually someone in the U.S. government will be tempted to use this data for nefarious purposes. Why should US citizens live in a survaillence state contrary to the Bill of Rights?
I have heard this as, "whistling in the wind", taken to imply sound waves are distorted by wind patterns since sound waves use air molecules for conveyance. Whistling into the wind would tend to dampen sound waves intended for up-wind listners. Whereas, whistling with the wind tends to cause a whistle with the same decibel level as the into-the-wind variety to travel a bit further to down-wind listners.
How would the medium of light impact travel distance of sound waves? Or is there a cultural reference here that is different for me as a American english speaker?
In one case ours went down for a day when a backhoe hired for construction cut a power supply line. The data center batteries designed to give time for the desiel generator to kick-in were fine. The generator failed to start as a result of contaminated fuel despite monthly tests.
The second time was when an employee brought their 12 year old son into the raised floor environment. He found and pressed the haylon dump button for fire suppression. Staff were lucky to escape without suffocation.
The employee was fired and stricter entry requirements to the raised floor area were implemented.
In particular, they collect and graph enormous amounts of data to augment their articles. It's much better than random posts found on the internet.
https://www.amazon.com/System-370-Job-Control-Language/dp/04...
//SYSIN DD *
A data definition statement indicating the next line in the program is the start of the input program to be processed.
The fact that the richest nation on earth permits about 10% of its population no access to decent healthcare is morally repugnant. But even if one is not persuaded by the moral argument, perhaps the economic impacts can change views.
With no national sick leave policy, potentially infected uninsured citizens will have the incentive to go to work, raising the risk for all. Children of uninsured whose parents are unable to take sick or medical care leave may be shunted to older care givers who are most at risk. Uninsured families are acting rationally for their own economic circumstances, but creating a larger risk profile for all.
Let's hope Americans are sobered by this experience and consider a more sensible healthcare policy.
This is likely the same segment of the population who have a strong incentive to go to work ignoring risks of community spread. They live pay check to pay check and can't afford to be sick and take time off.
As an emergency measure, the federal government should carry all costs associated with virus testing. Any individual who is quarantined or must stay home to care for those quarantined should receive direct cash transfers to off-set the immediate economic dislocations this causes.
The current federal administration's argument for suspending payroll taxes does nothing for those who are unemployed or work in the informal, cash economy.
Luckily, at the state and local level officials appear more competent placing the health related impacts above politics. As an example, the governor of New York took the unprecedented step of quarantining New Rochelle just outside New York city.
If there is any possibility of a silver lining from all of this, it would be how the U.S. electorate might see the true economic cost of allowing roughly 10% of the population to be uninsured. To me, it is immoral that the richest nation on earth permits those who are most vulnerable not having equal access to adequate healthcare.
Finally, as an indication of how the federal government continues to politicize the pandemic, the Secretary of State continues to call the Covid-19 pandemic, Wuhan virus, as an insult to China.
As a US citizen lucky enough to not be significantly impacted by all of this, I'm deeply embarrassed by such an outrageous insult from a federal official.