Is Open Source Software Right For You?

Is Open Source Software Right For You?

Many years ago a man named Bill started a software company. He had the bright idea to sell the a license to use his software in stead of selling the software itself. This was an very smart business idea because the computer manufacturing companies did not have only had to pay a small fee per computer sold to bill instead of a big lump sum up front. They saw this as a great deal because if sales were low they would not lose out. Little did they know how popular the software would become. Now Bill was in a position of being needed by the companies which gave him power. With great power comes great responsibility, and more often then not corruption.

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Buy Passion from darkness, A Poetic Journey

Buy Passion from darkness, A Poetic Journey: "A quest to find love through awareness and enlightenment. These pages depict the first steps of self discovery, spiritual freedom and understanding of the universal potential in us all."

Bullhead, Tree, and The Flying Fishing Pole

This June I picked up my Daughter for our summer visitation. She had a pile of baggage and other things she could not live without for summer, including a new fishing pole that she won. Our ride was filled with updates of her recent life, when we arrived home, the first thing she asked me was. “Can you take me fishing?” I informed her that she could walk the two blocks to the lake and go by herself. You see at the time I had not yet purchased my fishing permit for the year, actually, I have not had a permit for about 4 years now. She informed me that she could not go without me because she required my assistance in baiting and removing fish from her hook. This immediately transported me to the past when I was in my preteen years at Happy Acres Campground.

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During the summer months of my youth, many weekends were spent with my grandparents at the Happy Acres Campground. It was always a treat to run wild in the woods, pond swim, and fish for two whole days. Most of the time my cousins tagged along too. My grandparents had a reserved lot with a camper trailer that stayed year-round, which children were not allowed into except during bad weather. The roads leading to the campsite and other features on the grounds were gravel and covered with tar, a great delight for the barefoot child in the hot midday sun. We usually walked along the side in the grass until we had to cross when we usually hot-potato quick-stepped across.

One particular day my cousin Stevie and I made the half-mile walk to the pond to catch some bluegills. Since we were young and were squeamish about putting worms on our hook, we often used dinner leftovers as bait. Bluegills will eat just about anything, we learned this one time when Stevie caught one with a blade of grass wiggling on his hook in the water. Our favorite leftover baits were hot-dogs, bread, and canned sweet corn. Today we have a couple hot-dogs. After about half an hour we had caught a few bluegills, then Stevie caught a yellow bull-head, which is a mini version of catfish, stings and all. Of course, being too wussy to even use live worms as bait, we had our issues about removing a fish from our hook that may possibly hospitalize us with its stingers. Grandpa Everett always aided us in this frightening endeavor when he was with us at the pond. However today we were flying solo. So, Stevie just keeps casting the poor bullhead in the water hoping it would work itself free and he could continue fishing. We would have just cut the line, but neither one of us had any extra hooks. After many casting attempts, we decided to head back to camp and have Grandpa perform his miraculous feat of heroism and dislodge the bullhead from Stevie’s Hook.

Now I’m not sure what was happening at the camp while we were gone, but it must have been pushing Grandpa’s buttons. Everett had one of those tempers that just goes off sometimes. I imagine I take after him in that regard, I usually let things roll off my back, and the stress just builds until one small thing blows my top, that was how he was.  Stevie and I arrived at the camp and my cousin proceeded to ask Grandpa to remove the now lifeless bullhead from his hook. He tore the pole from my cousin's hands and transfers the bullhead from his hook to the fire in front of him. He then stands up spewing all kinds of curse words and launches Stevie’s fishing pole twenty yards towards the woods where it twists and tangles itself in the tree, dangling there for the rest of the weekend. The one phrase I understood during Grandpa’s fit was. “If you damn kids can’t take off your own fish off the hook, then you should not be fishing!” Stevie cried and ran to the back of the pickup truck where we slept while camping. After the aggressive pressure was relieved, Grandpa was back to his normal, loving, humorous self.

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I later purchased a permit and took my daughter fishing. I hope to go again with her before the summer’s end.

Bullhead, Tree, and The Flying Fishing Pole

Film Review: Alice In Wonderland 2010

Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland is wonderfully visual. There was no mistaking that is was directed by Tim Burton.
Oozing with his signature dark, lighthearted, and quirky style. It was an Unexpected treat to see that this film was not another book based film but more of a mix and match story based on the original Alice and Wonderland masterpieces. It is my feeling that Tim and his team have created a amazingly creative story using Lewis Carroll's imaginative nonsensical characters and wondrous world of under-land. Please don't be discouraged if you have read the books and the film does not maintain an accurate account, this seems to be the normal in Hollywood.

Fully loaded cast of all stars such as: Mia Wasikowska (Alice), Helena Bonham Carter(Red Queen), Anne Hathaway (White Queen), and of course Johnny Depp (Mad Hatter), Johnny and Helena have worked together in other Burton films such as Sweeney Todd. This dynamic pair have amazing on screen chemistry and blend well with Burton's bizarre style. Depp's performance at moments had the feel of Captain Jack Sparrow, which I found rather amusing. Helena has quite a knack for the evil wicked woman role, you may remember her from the Harry Potter movies. Speaking of which, I believe the voice of the blue caterpillar was done by Alan Rickman AKA Severus Snape.

Alice is an older now and plagued by madding dreams of wacky land of nonsense. While attending her own surprise engagement party Alice discovers a white rabbit in a dress coat of course. The rabbit has been sent out in search of Alice in hopes that she will save wonderland as the prophecy states she will. Alice is to become savior of the white queen and slay the wicked Red Queen's jabberwocky and end her treacherous rule. Alice is unsure of her abilities and if she truly is the Alice in the prophecy. She continues to convince herself that it is all her own dream. Alice reacquaints with all her old wonderland friends including the positively insane mad hatter and march hare. Alice is also consulted to become the champion the prediction requires by Absolem, a blue caterpillar. Alice soon learns what she has what it takes to be the champion needed to end the Red Queen's wicked rule over Wonderland. After returning home she tells those pressuring her to be wed that she will be pursuing her own path in life from now on. Yes, the caterpillar is smoking from a hookah, but there is no reference to marijuana or other drug use, if this bothers you as a parent then by all means preview the film before exposing it to your children.

Was it a dream? I believe Burton has chosen to suggest that what Alice has just experienced was in fact reality. I say this because while in wonderland Alice is injured by the Bandersnatch, this wound is predominately displayed in one of the final scenes after she has returned from wonderland. Will there be a sequel? I certainly hopes so, Burton/Depp duo has always entertained this movie goer.

See the film, watch the old Disney classic, and read the original Alice books, They are all wonderful in their own way.

Real Health Care Plan

With all the hoopla in today's news about health care this health care that it amazes me that our government can not find a better solution then the ones, they have been presenting. So I ask the question of what is the problem that needs to be fixed. I hear so many different answers, but the one that sticks out the most is providing health care to all. Why does this seem to imply a change to insurance companies? Why can it not be about the government actually providing the care instead of providing the payment? I am writing here to propose outside the box health care reform. This plan is based on the problem of providing health care to those who can not afford it.

First, the government should use one or more of its many useless buildings or bases and convert them into a teaching hospitals. These hospital bases will provide all for its teachers and students, all of the necessities of life. So the teachers will be paid for their service with room and board and funding for further research. Students who have proved their worth with high grades, academic excellence, and wish to become doctors out of a desire to heal and not capitalistic gain can enroll at no cost. While they are learning they will be helping with everything the hospital needs to provide care for its patients. The students will also be provided with the necessities of life in exchange for their hard work. Upon completing their training the new student doctor will continue to work for the system for several years in exchange for their education, after which they will be allowed to open a private practice if they choose or stay on as teachers of the next generation. The patients of these hospitals will be those who can not afford health insurance or care from private institutions. Also, those you choose to go to a government-run hospital will be charged according to their income. Yes, most of this will have to be funded by taxes, taxes which are paid by everyone even those receiving care. The fact that training will be provided in exchange for work, will keep overhead down and reduce the need for outrageous care costs. The doctors having everything they need to live provided for them there is no need to provide wages to them or for a salary to pay back any excessive education debt they would have normally accumulated in the system we have now.
These government hospitals can then be established in every major city in the U.S. each with a staff of fully trained professionals who want to heal for the sake of healing, not for capital gain. This system will also be able to provide experimental treatments and research. Which is normally not provided due to lack of coverage on the part of current insurance companies. I feel this plan will open health care up to an explosion of new and better treatments and cures. It may also be possible for this system to create and provide its line of pharmaceuticals to reduce the cost of overpriced drugs currently on the market. Health care should not be a business, nor should the decisions be made as if it were. Another benefit of this system is the creation of new janitorial and clerical jobs, there the plan just helped reduce unemployment too.

Now I am sure you may be asking. If this was so, then why would anyone go elsewhere for treatment?
Well, I believe that the rich and the upper-middle class (those who can afford non-government care) will ultimately choose to seek care in the private sector of experienced professionals. I also stated before that government hospitals will charge on an income curve so those with high income will pay more for their care at a government hospital. This will, of course, provide competition between private and government care for the patronage of the middle and upper class. So a private practice doctor could ideally charge less for his services then what the government hospital would to those of this income level. Of course, these changes would most likely be less than currently, considering that these private doctors will not need to pay off enormous medical school debt.
I realize that the infrastructure of this endeavor may be quite costly but, I am sure it would be far less then what is before the house and senate at the moment. It will take time to implement but it will be well worth it in the end for the future of our great nation!
I may not have all the details worked out here, so I encourage comments and discussion.

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