Tribute to My Newest Grand Daughter

 

As I was anticipating writing this blog, along came my newest Grand Daughter – Machalie Xuan Doan - born on April 29, 2015. I wanted to pay tribute to her and all the others born in the year 2015.

I find things on the internet which bode very well for their future which may well extend to the year 2090 or even 2100. As a side note, living to the 22^nd century in itself is hardly conceivable to me. Of course, born in 1949 as I was, I marveled at the turning of the century in the year 2000. However, I am following numerous other topics on the internet which I find disturbing for these new arrivals.

In my most recent blog which was a tribute to my Mother, I marveled that she and her parents had lives that spanned from 1895 to 2010. The things that those two generations witnessed were truly amazing. My Grand Dad’s family had one of the first cars in their hometown. They saw the advent of airplane travel around the globe and a man landing on the Moon. Probably the most amazing of technologies for those generations was the advent and wide use of the computer and in Mom’s case, the internet.

So today, we have not only what was once termed the “PC” or “personal computer”, but “smart phones.” We have more than a billion people connected to each other via the “world wide web.” Smart phones can do more today than the entire NASA system used to launch both the Apollo Moon mission which landed men on the moon, as well as the EROS mission in 2001, detailed in my EPub, EROS Adventure, Journey to an Asteroid. Yet despite the limited technology the photos from the EROS mission, 300 plus of which are in the book, are intriguing as well as spectacular.

How will these new arrivals use this new technology? Where will it take them? I have an example which might shed some light on this question both positively and negatively.

My family installed solar panels on our house as part of the program of “net metering” used by Xcel Energy to encourage solar development. This legislation, passed by Colorado, also had a solar rebate built into the model, so we received a certain amount back from Xcel for the installation of the panels (which were not cheap). We paid the upfront cost and received the rebate several months later, which was not close to the completed system cost. We also entered into a contract to sell excess electricity back to Xcel, over and above what we used.

There is a growing argument about this “net metering” concept. The utilities argue that it cuts into the amount being paid to them, which is true. They argue that they can’t reliably maintain the grid infrastructure with a decreasing revenue stream. It is true that the nation’s electrical grid is basically in shambles because of lack of maintenance over the last 30 years. In my opinion, utilities have been and continue to be unwilling to look at the long term and spend the money necessary to do what is required, or look at any other business models.

The following presents the scope of the issue. Clearly, homeowners and businesses are looking for ways to reduce their energy costs.

“Between 2011 and 2012, the number of newly installed solar NEM systems increased from 61,400 to 89,620 -- a 46 percent annual growth rate -- bringing the cumulative total to 302,380 NEM systems,” the SEPA study reported. “By year end 2012, U.S. solar generation under net metering totaled more than 3,500 megawatts-AC. It is striking to consider that in 2005, when EPACT passed, total grid-connected solar capacity nationwide was only about 200 megawatts-AC.” Source: http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/The-Solar-Industry-Responds-to-Utility-Attacks-on-Net-Metering

Yet, utilities fighting this “net metering” legislation is, as far as I am concerned, exactly the problem. I invested my private capital to provide them generating capacity which they did not have. Yes it was a small amount, but our system does feed electricity into the grid, as do many thousands of other “roof top” and “ground mounted” solar systems around the county and world. Many people, especially the republicans (“R”) call this a “subsidy” and argue against the utilities having to give it. They say solar can’t compete financially, but generally don’t define their terms nor really understand the concepts behind what they are discussing.

This is the reality behind the “subsidy” which I received. The money I received back in the form of a rebate was essentially the difference between them paying me for electricity at the rates they were charging retail, and their wholesale rates for generation, which are much less than ½ the current retail. If I had not gotten the rebate, I would have been selling the electricity I produced back to them at the same rate they were charging me. This was a huge win for them because they received my generating capacity for an anticipated 25 to 50 years of operation at a rate which was their wholesale generating cost when we installed the system

The only difference between me buying a bond from the utility company (i.e. loaning them money in return for interest) and placing solar panels on my roof is that by adding the panels to my roof, I am actually producing something which the utility can’t control. By that I mean, if I lent them money by buying a bond, they could add generation capacity to their system or use it to pay the CEO a bonus. The first would be beneficial to the consumers and ratepayers, the latter would not (in my opinion). I took that choice away from the utility and looked into the future at which would be most beneficial to both myself and our society as a whole. Financially, I would have been much better off if I had put the same money into a bond, but felt compelled to take a longer term view with regard to the “return on investment.”

Yet the people we elect, with an “R” (republican) or “D” (democrat), behind their names are typically in favor of the first option, giving them money and having them decide what they want to do with it. This is all done in the name of “employment,” with is in reality in the name of votes.

Clearly, legislators want the “mega-corporations (utilities)” to be able to dictate their own policies and have the choice which I took away from them (albeit in a very small way). How many of these mega-corporations have you heard of lately that pay top management (CEOs) huge bonuses while the firms themselves are struggling to survive? They pass legislation in favor the utilities, which might be fine if the utilities had the public interest in mind. You can see the same policies with the energy companies (Exon, Mobile, Chevron, etc.), utilities (Xcel, Duke Energy, etc.) and the information companies (such as Verizon, Sprint and AT&T).

“In the past, according to the EEI study, regulators managed rates to protect utilities. With the proliferation of distributed solar, it predicted, there will be pressure from utilities “to undo these cross subsidies.”” – Source: http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/The-Solar-Industry-Responds-to-Utility-Attacks-on-Net-Metering

Getting back to my new granddaughter, Machalie and some of the very positive things I see for her generation going forward. As noted previously, computers, energy technology, medical advances, revolutionary transportation development and robotics all bode well for them. Indications are that these advances in technology will continue at a ever increasing pace through her lifetime.

For example, recently, Elon Musk, CEO and invertor of Tesla Motors announced that he developed a new concept and business model.

“Tesla CEO Elon Musk revealed the Tesla Powerwall unit in an event late Thursday in California that was live streamed online.” – Source: http://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/2015/05/01/tesla-motors-powerwall-home-battery-pack/26685443/

The Powerwall is described as follows on the Tesla website.

“Powerwall is a home battery that charges using electricity generated from solar panels, or when utility rates are low, and powers your home in the evening. It also fortifies your home against power outages by providing a backup electricity supply. Automated, compact and simple to install, Powerwall offers independence from the utility grid and the security of an emergency backup.

Powerwall comes in 10 kWh weekly cycle and 7 kWh daily cycle models. Both are guaranteed for ten years and are sufficient to power most homes during peak evening hours. Multiple batteries may be installed together for homes with greater energy need, up to 90 kWh total for the 10 kWh battery and 63 kWh total for the 7 kWh battery.” – Source: http://www.teslamotors.com/powerwall

While not new, this battery storage concept will probably catch on in a big way. People are looking at ways to save money over the long term. This will have the impact of adding capacity to the grid while taking the control away from the utilities. As I noted previously, the utilities and legislators are pushing back. They are trying to take away any financial incentive including tax incentives and federal credits in order to preserve the “status quo.”

I note some of the changes and trends which are occurring due to innovators and entrepreneurs such as Bill Gates, and Elon Musk in my EPub entitled World Collapse or New Eden, 2015 Edition. This digital publication takes 101 predictions made in the time period of 2008 to 2011 and follows them forward into 2015. It is an intriguing, thought provoking read, applicable to these times. These are the ideas and people which have changed and will continue to change the world for Machalie.

It seems the only way to change the direction from the existing “status quo” is to completely “overhaul” the global power structure. I propose starting in Washington DC. I don’t believe that just getting all of the current legislators (Congress) out of office is the solution. In my opinion, I think something as radical as not letting anybody over the age of 50 vote or run for office might tip the power structure enough to make some changes. This could effectively transfer power to the young generation and remove my generation from power. After all we are the cause of the problem, by keeping people such as Jeb, Hillary, Rubio, Christie, O’Malley and Walker in the limelight. In my opinion the only possible change from the existing elitist system will come from the likes of Rand Paul.

With all the promise that Machalie and her generation have in front of them, they need the chance to move beyond the “status quo” power and financial structure created by my generation. This transfer of power, from my perspective, is critical to allow them to achieve their goals and aspirations as they grow up. They can’t use the current 20^th century model in the 21^st and coming 22^nd centuries. Remember the generation coming up as you enter this 2016 election cycle.

As I celebrate the birth of Machalie, I wish both my granddaughters, Machalie and Imani much love and success in all that they undertake.

Sincerely,

H. Court Young
Author, publisher, speaker and geologist
Promoting awareness through the written word
Research, freelance writing & self-publishing services
Facebook: HCourtYoung
Phone: 303-726-8320
Email: tmcco@msn.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/hcourtyoung
Twitter: http://twitter.com/hcourtyoung
Blog: http://hcourtyoung.blogspot.com

A Tribute to My Mother and her Generation of Small Business

 

In memory of my Mother’s birthday which was in April, I am presenting a tribute to her generation and the small businesses which made America the global power it is. I remember the small town in southern Illinois which she was born and grew up. The photograph is of her parent’s family business which started as a small garage and grew into a local hotel located on the main street of this southern Illinois town.

During her lifetime and her parent’s lifetime, which spanned the entirety of the 20^th century, the world changed exponentially. At the turn of the century between 1899 and 1900, the mode of transportation was the horse. Large loads and multitudes of people were transported via rail. In fact, I remember one story which my grandmother told about arriving in San Francisco via train with her mother one day before the 1909 earthquake.

By the time my mother was born, cars were the main mode of transportation, but rail was still very prominent. Her family had one of the first automobiles in this small Illinois town. She would describe trips taken across the United States via automobile. They had quite an impact on her. The entire family would travel together, including my grandfather’s parents. One trip, when she was seven years old, was to Colorado (where she ended up living for most of her life). They went to the top of Pike’s Peak near Colorado Springs. Another family trip was to New York City.

Her family and millions of others like it worked in or owned small businesses in small towns across America. Many more were farmers and ranchers on small acreages producing the food and livestock to feed an expanding population. Because this area of southern Illinois had an abundance of oil and natural gas, coupled with a lot of agriculture, the great depression of the 1930’s was not as severe as it was in other parts of the country. Businesses bartered with each other, much as they had done prior to the depression. They traded goods and services to the benefit of the community and its members. By today’s standards, they lived a relatively modest life style, but they seemed much happier and contented than today’s first world societies.

World War II changed society in the United States. Many of the men went off to foreign lands to fight, while the women took jobs previously reserved for men. “Rosie the Riveter” was the name used for the women who took these factory and shipyard construction jobs, building the material to wage war.

When Dad came home from the Pacific Theater, he and Mom moved to Colorado. Dad started mining for silver, lead, zinc and uranium in the central Colorado Rocky Mountains. Many of the men who had been off to war, came home and started businesses, or went to college on the G.I. Bill. Often, they were the first in their families to be able to do so, thanks to the financial help from the government. This help enabled a generation of men and women to become engineers, doctors, lawyers and accountants. They applied what they learned and with a lot of hard work and dedication, built a nation, the likes of which the world had never seen.

This economy was still fueled economically primarily by small business and family owned farms. However, as money flowed, standards of living rose and profits made small businesses and farms larger. Large companies began to dominate the American and global economy. Things began to change. Because our society was more mobile, children began to leave the small towns of their parents and move to the large cities. Family ties were being broken by an increasingly mobile expanding society.

One of the first trips I remember taking on an airplane was to Hawaii. It was in 1962 and the trip was amazing. Mom, Dad and I felt extremely “pampered” by today’s standards. Air travel gradually became the “norm” and it morphed into the “dollar-hungry” ordeal of today.

As my generation came of age, many of us went to college, as our parents had done. However, the rise of the military – industrial complex (MIC), which President Eisenhower warned us about, was becoming increasingly dominant. Wars, such as Vietnam which was one of the first, became “profit centers” for these large corporations and their huge government contracts. As the money flowed into the mega-defense/government contracting corporations, they bought lobbyists, politicians and other “influence” peddlers to slant legislation in their favor. The political influence and impact of small business (as well as that of the individual) declined rapidly.

Throughout my youth, technology was advancing at a rapid pace. Computers, developed during WWII, were becoming part of everyday life. Companies such as Microsoft and Apple were started by the same entrepreneurial spirit and quest for knowledge shown by the generation of my Mother. This technological revolution is still one of the bright spots in our world today, in my opinion.

That being said, where will it take us? For example, there are an increasing number of articles and blogs concerning the development and use of robotics. As the use of robotics increases, what will happen to the workers who previously filled those positions? What is our educational system doing to offset the impact of this new technology? Are the young people of today going to be able to find meaningful employment? If not, what skills do they need to learn to be competitive?

Why aren’t our “leaders’, both in government and the private sector having this discussion publically in a meaningful way? As the United States enters into yet another “election cycle” why are we hearing about “lost emails” and “the necessity of starting/continuing yet another war” against people that can’t harm us? This lack of meaningful dialog makes almost anyone who attaches an “R” or “D” behind their name essentially a “sad joke on the American public”, in my opinion. With perhaps one exception (Rand Paul), I won’t be voting for any of these “R” or “D” candidates who claim to be “aspiring public servants.”

I included over 100 major predictions about these and other issues in my EPub entitled World Collapse or New Eden. These predictions, starting in 2008, have been carried forward to 2015. They show trends which are unmistakable and more than slightly discouraging.

Contrast the predictions in World Collapse or New Eden with the marvelous technology shown in my EPub entitled EROS Adventure, Journey to an Asteroid. It contains over three hundred high resolution photographs of this amazing billion mile space mission to a small near-Earth asteroid. This NASA/JPL mission, completed in 2001, is a testimony to the triumph of technology. Why do we continue to reduce our government and private space and science expenditures in relationship to that of the MIC? Clearly the benefit of the few out weigh improvement for the many.

So what about the promise shown by my Mother’s generation? Have we (the sons and daughters of her generation) really “frittered” their accomplishments away in such a short time? I have a very high regard for the generation coming up, i.e. that of my Mother’s grandchildren. They seem to be operating on a different “wavelength” than my generation (their parents). While I probably won’t see the outcome, I see the same promise in them that was in my Mother’s generation. I can only thank my Mother and her generation for their wonderful accomplishments and hope for a swift transition in power from my generation to that of her grandchildren.

Sincerely,

H. Court Young
Author, publisher, speaker and geologist
Promoting awareness through the written word
Research, freelance writing & self-publishing services
Facebook: HCourtYoung
Phone: 303-726-8320
Email: tmcco@msn.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/hcourtyoung
Twitter: http://twitter.com/hcourtyoung
Blog: http://hcourtyoung.blogspot.com

The Promise of our Future in Technology

 

What is the promise of our future in technology? How will it impact you?

I bought a new HP Stream 8 tablet at the Microsoft store two weeks ago, and have been a part of the Windows Insider program for Windows 10 since November 2014. These two technologies demonstrate incredible advances in technology when compared to my youth.

So as technology continues to advance in an exponential way, what is the promise of our future with this technology? We know about the medical and scientific advancements, as they are in the news daily. But what about our daily lives and the way we typically use our technology such as email, television, phone and personal computers?

The photograph shows both my dilemma and delight with technology. Taken at my favorite writing location, the local Barnes & Noble bookstore, it shows my newest story entitled “Light at the End of the Tunnel,” as well as three different devices which are operated by the Microsoft Windows platform.

The first device is a Microsoft Surface Pro 3 which is a combination tablet/laptop computer. The second device is my new HP Stream 8 tablet with an 8” touch screen. The third device is my phone, a Lumia 928 running Windows 8.1. I can use any and all of these devices to pursue my writing and access the files on my local and cloud storage site.

This is the crux of Microsoft’s internet of things known as “IoT.” Depending upon circumstances, I can choose whatever device that fits the moment. When in a meeting, researching or in a bible study, I can use my HP Tablet which has a sim card to connect to the “cloud” (internet) using T-Mobile. This is easier than using my phone because the screen is larger. However, when I am in a place where I don’t want to carry a larger device, I can use my phone.

A video which I watched recently also presents the potential of technology in a slightly different way. This video was created and presented by Caterpillar, the world wide heavy equipment manufacturer. It is a fascinating video about the mechanization of a large iron mine in Western Australia. The six trucks used to haul ore from the mine are all driverless. They use a series of technology to guide these huge haul trucks safely from being loaded to dumping the ore. The demonstration of this technology is both fascinating and a little less than amazing. To see driverless, multi-ton trucks with tires larger than a normal automobile navigating the terrain of an open mining pit is riveting.

However, along with the promise of this future technology there is also downside. This downside will directly impact you, but how?

Using the Australian mine example, I estimated the loss of jobs due to driverless trucks. Assuming three shifts and six trucks, at least 18 to 25 drivers will not be needed. This may not sound like many people but automate the 100 largest mines around the globe where large haul trucks are used and the number quickly escalates to the hundreds if not thousands. Include the mid-level mines and the number grows very large indeed.

For example, the following shows the impact of technology on coal mining:

“In the United States, the increase in technology has significantly decreased the mining workforce from 335,000 coal miners working at 7,200 mines fifty years ago to 104,824 miners working in fewer than 2,000 mines today.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coal_mining)

But most of us are not going to drive a large haul truck in an open pit mine, you say. Well that may be true, but what about self-driving cars. If it can be done in a mine setting, where loading and dumping tolerances are in the range of centimeters, then it can be done on our streets and highways. There have been numerous articles about the development of self-driving cars in the last six months. The technology is coming, probably faster than we imagine.

How many taxicab drivers, long-haul and short haul delivery drivers will be impacted? What about the busses? If it can be done on land then it can be done in the air and on the sea. At least one mine in Australia has automated a series of long haul trains which travel across some of the most desolate and hottest terrain in the country. The technology is here today to make this a reality.

But automation and new technology can and has been very beneficial. Many of our scientific discoveries would not be possible without it. My EPub, EROS, Journey to an Asteroid, tells the story about a small automated space explorer making a journey of over a billion miles and ultimately landing on an asteroid 6 miles long by 1 mile wide. It was a precursor to the current space exploration technology. The 300 plus high resolution photographs are stunning and a tribute to the potential of technology. With automation and computing capability advancing at an exponential rate, so much more is possible today than in 2000 when this very special NASA/JPL mission was accomplished.

Many of these technology questions are posed in my EPub, World Collapse or New Eden, 101 Predictions about your World. This EPub presents predictions between 2005 and today, and examines these trends over time.

So are we ready for the changes that these new technologies will bring, from a social and economic standpoint? Is our “leadership,” discussing where we as a global society are headed in any meaningful way? The “R’s” and “D’s” in our government, which we elect to “guide and lead” us, with very few exceptions, seem not to even be aware of the potential impact, let alone lead the discussion about what our global society should look like. They typically “blather” on about things that in a larger sense are irrelevant to the coming future. As an example, “lost emails” have no relevance to this technological potential that is coming. It only has relevance to corporately owned media and politicians who are profiting off of the information distraction, in order to keep the general population as uninformed as possible.

It is possible, even probable that there may be massive “unemployment,” due to this technological revolution. These new “unemployed” are not people who don’t want to work or who are “lazy.” Most of them are people who are capable and intelligent, but who lack the skills to fit into this technologically changing world.

Yet our leaders are still railing against “government handouts” as something given to the “lazy” or “poor.” However, the elite (top 1%) realize these “handouts” are necessary to prevent riots or worse from a totally disenfranchised population. Instead of fostering the discussion about what our global society needs to become, and helping with resources to direct us toward those goals, they are content to allow governments to continue the “handouts.” It is easier for the corporate/government oligarchs to have “slaves” than to truly innovate, lead and progress. This is the reason the middle class is shrinking around the world.

For example, watch as the presidential campaigns heat up in the United States. Regardless of the “R” or “D” candidate, if you really analyze the discussion, you will conclude there is only one party with two factions (liberal and conservative). This is not the way to progress in a technologically advancing world. Remember this when you are evaluating the choices you have, whether it is the government officials you are electing or the job/career choices you are making.

Should we become “Luddites” and pull back from or destroy the technology? That would not solve the challenge we face. The only answer is to change the way we think about our “leadership”, our society and the people around the world. We need a different vision of what is possible and how to get there.

So as you can see, the potential of technology is fantastic. I can use multiple devices to create, present and communicate my ideas. Our technology is beginning to impact in a major way how we live in our homes, how we work, how we travel and how the goods we use every day are made. This trend will continue at an accelerating pace. The promise of technology is great but, sadly, without leadership, innovation and direction the curse may be greater than the blessing, in the short term.

Sincerely,

H. Court Young
Author, publisher, speaker and geologist
Promoting awareness through the written word
Research, freelance writing & self publishing services
Facebook: HCourtYoung
Phone: 303-726-8320

Email: tmcco@msn.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/hcourtyoung

The Greatest Generations – A Tribute to My Dad and My Children

 

Two generations stand out in my mind. The first is that of my Dad, which has been termed the “Greatest Generation.” The other is that of my son and daughter. While this may be natural for a Dad, I am in a unique position to note some similarities.

I had a life-long, incredible relationship with my Dad. The following is a quote from my book, The Orphan Boy, A Love Affair with Mining.

“One September afternoon I sat on the dump of a small mine in Colorado with a unique man, my dad, Herbert T. Young. Even at 12,000 feet, the sun was bright and warm, and the sky was so very blue. Below, the aspen leaves were just starting to turn gold, and there was a hint of fall in the air.

We had talked on the way up the rocky, steep road about the mines and the history of the area, as we often did. I never got tired of the many stories Dad told about his experiences and information he gathered in researching the mining district.

Arriving at the Orphan Boy mine, we sat down and had a cup of coffee from Dad’s ever present thermos. Even though I had previously heard many of his stories about this mine that started his love affair with mining, they seemed much more real as I sat with him in that remote and peaceful basin.

My eyes were drawn to the rugged splendor of the high peaks; Brittle Silver Mountain, Grizzly Peak, Revenue Mountain... Along the horizon were Gray’s and Torrey’s, two of Colorado’s fourteeners. The air was so clean I felt like I could almost reach out and touch the peaks across the Warden Gulch basin. Morgan Peak, behind me, and Santa Fe Peak to the south looked so close it seemed like I could hike to them in just a few minutes.

Everywhere I looked were evidences of the mining and prospecting that went on in a different time. I noticed the reddish brown and yellow gossans that streaked the mountain slopes in several places. All the while, this remote valley was very quiet, almost as if our thoughts themselves interrupted the solitude. This scene stirred something in my soul that words cannot begin to explain.

I thought of Dad and the many experiences he related to me. I noticed he was also scanning the mountains, deep in thought. He turned and smiled at me, with his brown eyes shining. I knew we were thinking, feeling and experiencing the same closeness to God in that moment.

The feeling of kinship I experienced while sitting on that mine dump were similar to the feelings I had during the times Dad and I worked underground together. Working underground brings a special sense of closeness where everyone looks after one another. Even with 30 years difference in our ages, we were kindred souls.

I worked with Dad during the summers and after college graduation until his death and had the fortune to experience firsthand why his generation was named the ‘greatest generation’.

He was typical of the World War II generation whose lives were interrupted by that war. When they came back home, they changed both America and the world in a special way.”

As I get older, I watch my generation at the height of their power and prestige. I can’t help but compare them to that of my Dad.

A recent blog on ZeroHedge entitled “25 statist propaganda phrases and how to rebut them” [source - http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-03-14/25-statist-propaganda-phrases-and-how-rebut-them ] reveals much about my generation. The original source of the blog is as follows - http://reece.liberty.me/2015/03/09/25-statist-propaganda-phrases-and-how-to-rebut-them/ . The phrases listed are generally applicable in regard to today’s society. However, three seem to be especially relevant in demonstrating the difference between my generation (the Baby Boomer generation) and that of my Dad.

The first on my list is the concept of the “free world.’ This has been sold to my generation as a consequence of fighting the Russians and the “iron curtain all through the “cold war.” We needed “rulers” to protect us from the Russian “bear.” We were incapable of making our own decisions, despite advocating “freedom for all” in our youth.

5. “The leader of the free world”

“The free world” does not exist; each individual person exists. Again, we are speaking of rulers rather than all types of leaders. Free people do not have rulers; they rule themselves.

However, as my Dad’s generation knew, “free people do not have rulers, they rule themselves”. Dad’s generation understood the idea of ruling themselves. They kept themselves far less ruled than my generation has. President Eisenhower was correct when he warned of the “military-industrial” complex, for which a requirement is a ruling class..

Dad was a decorated war hero in World War II. However, he had very little choice when he entered the service in 1942. The compulsory draft was instituted late in 1940.

“Congress passed the Selective Training and Service Act (September 16, 1940), creating the country's first peacetime military conscription program. Conscription in America is commonly referred to as the draft. The initial act authorized the conscription of men, but placed a limit of 0.9 million on the number to be trained. The period of service was set at 12 months.” – Source: http://histclo.com/essay/war/ww2/cou/us/aod/draft/aod-draft.html

Dad was caught by this legislation and before his conscription term was up, the attack on Pearl Harbor occurred and war was declared. His and millions of other Americans had their lives interrupted and changed. He had a job lined up at a tin mine in Chile and was preparing to embark on a career in mining.

The next phrase in the statists list of 25 (number 8) is applicable to Dad’s generation as well as mine. It applies to World War II and all “wars” afterward.

8. “Our military”

If the military is “ours,” then “we” should be able to exercise exclusive control over it. But “we” neither command the military nor have the freedom to destroy it. Thus it is not “ours”; it is a tool of the ruling classes used to make it very difficult for citizens to violently overthrow the government, provide a last line of defense for the state in the form of martial law should the citizens succeed in violently overthrowing the government, and present a deterrent to other rulers elsewhere in the world who might seek to take over the state and capture the tax base for themselves.

Despite his valiant and decorated service, Dad always maintained that he had nothing against the Japanese people that he fought against. In his opinion, World War II was “Roosevelt’s war.”

When they returned from the War, Dad’s generation started where they left off. Many were able to go to college, which was a “government financed” program. Prior to the war, “higher education” was expensive. Dad got his degree prior to the war, primarily because of his sports prowess.

Anyway, after the war generation received access to college and higher education, they “got to work” and built a country like none the world has seen. They were both innovative and industrious, and realized education was a tool to be used to benefit themselves and others. They wanted to create a better world for all people.

In contrast to Dad’s generation, my generation started its youth with unprecedented wealth. We became very politically and socially active. “Drugs, Sex and Rock and Roll” was the governing phrase. We wanted “freedom.”

Our activism stemmed in large part from the Vietnam War, which like World War II and the Korean War, reflects phrase #8 of the statist list above. Because of the “draft,” many young men ended up fighting an “enemy” which they neither knew nor had any animosity against. Certainly, the country of Vietnam was not a military threat against the United States or its “national security” in any way.

While some actions may require a government, those actions first require the voluntary consent of the majority of the people in a “free” society. Dad and my Granddad’s generation were aware of this and held their “rulers” far more accountable than rulers are today. In addition, the rulers themselves, being of that generation, took their responsibility and trust much more seriously than they do today.

19 “Government is necessary”

This is a positive claim which carries a burden of proof. By itself, this is a claim asserted without logic or evidence and may therefore be dismissed without logic or evidence.

However, after the war in Vietnam winded down, my generation settled in to a life of comfort and excess, and it shows. Technology was advancing rapidly and we were taking advantage of it.

The political activism and desire to “change the world” embraced by my generation in their youth morphed into almost complete chaos politically because we did not have the will to follow through or the character to effect the changes. My generation lost their will and desire to do the things necessary to create the change we professed to believe in because of the lure of excess. Instead of taking responsibility and ruling, we allowed ourselves to be ruled.

As a result, absolute greed has essentially taken over most of our global societies and political structures. We continue to follow and embrace that same pattern. If you doubt it, just look at our political parties (those with an “R” or “D” behind their names). Those people don’t represent me, and if you really analyze it, they don’t represent 99% of Americans, either morally, financially or ethically. Sadly, they represent the highest level of a society in a life of extreme power, comfort and excess.

So what about the generation to come; that of my son William and my daughter Laura? They seem to be very practical and much more grounded than my own generation. I see in them many of the traits of my Dad’s generation.

While it is true, many of them are interested in using the current technology and seem to be immersed in it. That is to be expected because they have grown up with it and it comes very natural to them.

For example, I watched my son and daughter-in-law research the real estate market while buying a home recently. The following MSN quote describes their approach to the complexities of this business.

“Younger buyers want to know what to expect and when. “I see them wanting to understand what’s going on at any time in the process more than any other generation,” says Paul Reid, a Redfin agent in Southern California’s Inland Empire region.” - http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/moneyinyour20s/10-ways-millennials-are-changing-homebuying/ss-AA9yDra#image=4

“Millennials expect to be partners in the home search, and they want quick answers to questions. “They want information, and they want valid information, and they want it right now,” Reid says. “They’re the generation of Google at your fingertips.””

“Many millennial homebuyers get recommendations on agents from their parents, but they also do some research online before they ever call an agent. They want to see testimonials on an agent’s website, as well as read online reviews.”

They make use of the technology developed by my generation. But they also have a natural curiosity about the world around them which my generation, in general, didn’t seem to have.

They tend to value real education, not necessarily that which is taught at today’s universities. Many are more interested in vocational training than “higher education,” (which today comes at an extreme cost).

They also seem to be naturally curious about the world around them, and as noted above don’t take many of the “statist propaganda phrases” as truth, like my generation has. In fact, my generation seems to have fostered, if not invented, many of those phrases as they sank into excess. They do not take the utterances of someone with an “R” or “D” behind their name as truth just because their parents belong to the “R” or “D” party.

After watching my children, their spouses and some of their friends, I am positive about the future. In many ways, they remind me of Dad and his generation. I am hopeful that they will follow in the footsteps of their grandparents and reinvent the phrase “greatest generation.”

Sincerely,

H. Court Young
Author, publisher, speaker and geologist
Promoting awareness through the written word
Research, freelance writing & self publishing services
Facebook: HCourtYoung
Phone: 303-726-8320
Email: tmcco@msn.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/hcourtyoung

Microsoft’s Cortana Going Big Time

 

I am one of the 2.8 million “Windows Insiders” testing and using Microsoft’s new Windows 10 operating system on my three laptops. Two of them are Microsoft’s Surface tablet/laptop machines and one is an older Lenovo. The following quote is from the web site WinBeta.org.

“The Windows Insider project has proven to be something of an unmitigated success story for Microsoft. As announced during the Mobile World Congress (MWC) there are now over 2.8 million Windows Insiders across the world, and from this number over 900,000 pieces of feedback have been received. “

One of the major new features of this operating system is “Cortana”. This feature is also on the Lumia Denim version of Windows Phone operating system.

Just like the article “Considering Cortana” by Scott Bekker in the March 2015 issue of Channel Watch magazine, I think Cortana is going to revolutionize the technology world. She is going to be big.

Scott notes in his article:

“The spunky personal digital assistant from Microsoft, Cortana, is about to hit the big time. … The global desktop platform takes Cortana beyond me-too status into groundbreaking UI [universal intelligence] territory.”

Wikipedia defines Cortana as:

“Microsoft Cortana is an intelligent personal assistant developed by Microsoft for Windows Phone 8.1,^[2] Microsoft Band,^[3][4] and Windows 10.^[5]

It is named after Cortana, an artificial intelligence character in Microsoft's Halo video game series, with Jen Taylor, the character's voice actress, returning to voice the personal assistant's US-specific version.^[6]”

Microsoft describes Cortana as:

“Cortana is your personal assistant on your Windows Phone [and PC, Tablet]. She's there to help make things easier for you and keep you up to date on the things that matter to you.

Whether it’s to keep you looped in with your world or help you manage your everyday life, Cortana is there for you.”

“Check out these topics for more info about Cortana and the ways she can help.”

See the following links: http://www.windowsphone.com/en-US/how-to/wp8/cortana/meet-cortana

In addition Microsoft blog notes the following about Cortana in the new Windows 10 operating system for the desktop and tablet computers.

“Cortana started in April of 2012 as part of early thinking about what the future of search should be on mobile phones. We saw an emerging set of trends around the personalization of your experience due to the sheer amount of things your phone knows about you – your location, the people you communicate with most, your favorite apps/services, etc. We thought this was a bigger idea than just mobile, and this capability should be available across all of our devices – from mouse and keyboard, to touch – and that it should utilize what we knew about patterns and anticipate and meet those needs. We didn’t want to build one digital assistant for everybody, we wanted to build one digital assistant for you. Cortana learns you, knows you, and respects you.” http://blogs.windows.com/bloggingwindows/2015/02/10/how-cortana-comes-to-life-in-windows-10/

There are several other competitors in the market place. The largest in SIRI by Apple Computer. However, given the base of Windows machines installed and used by businesses worldwide, I think that Cortana will be far more prevalent than competitors on tablets/desktops when Windows 10 is released to the general public. It will probably be on Windows Server 10, Azure Server and other enterprise level systems as well.

Some ways Cortana on the Windows phone can be used are noted by Scott in his article.

“In the car with Bluetooth, Cortana is incredibly useful. I regularly task the phone through Cortana to simultaneously run GPS directions and play music and Cortana handles incoming phone calls and texts with hands-free aplomb.

The ability to create appointments is handy for work, and Cortana does a good job with things like noticing airline confirmation e-mails and tracking flights in the background.”

I am finding Cortana on my Windows 10 operating system to be an easier way to search than opening the Internet Explorer browser and using Bing.com. The results are the same but the interface is simpler.

This change is especially true if you use the voice activated “Hey Cortana” feature. It takes a bit of getting used to but once used it is hard not to have it (for example when I use a non-Windows 10 machine).

When using this new technology, I think back to the incredible things which were accomplished using much less computing power. One example was the moon landings in the late 1960’s. Another was the Journey and landing on the asteroid EROS. EROS Adventure, Journey to an Asteroid is an EPub which includes over three hundred photos that show just how incredible that accomplishment was. Imagine how much more could have been accomplished using technology such as Cortana, had it been available on these missions.

The rapid increase in the development of software and hardware technology is truly mind boggling. Now we have the new Microsoft Surface Hub and Microsoft Hololens. These and other technologies, such as Cortana, will revolutionize our world. I look at this rapid advance in technology from different perspectives in my EPub entitled World Collapse or New Eden, 101 Expert Predictions about Your World and Where They are Today.

However, we do need to have a discussion about jobs, employment and education going forward into this new world. If technology continues to advance as quickly as it is today, we desperately need to redefine what our educational systems, employment systems and global society is going to look like. It seems that many of our top corporate and political leaders resist the call for such a discussion. It is, however, very clear, that educational and employment systems designed for the 18^th, 19^th and 20^th centuries will not work in the 21^st century, with such advanced technology.

It is extremely apparent to me that Cortana and software technology like “her” are going to continue to fascinate and amaze us. As both hardware and software continues to evolve in such fields as medicine, communications, computers, transportation and robotics, we need to change the way we think about how we interact with technology and what our role in a global society will be. We have a very bright future ahead from a technology standpoint, and as Bill Gates talks about in his November 1995 book, we need to look at and discuss the road ahead.

As millions of computers and tablets convert to Windows 10, which includes Cortana, I have no doubt that most users will have my experience with the software. It is very useful and will become a large part of our life. I agree with Scott, Cortana is going to be big.

Sincerely,

H. Court Young
Author, publisher, speaker and geologist
Promoting awareness through the written word
Research, freelance writing & self publishing services
Facebook: HCourtYoung
Phone: 303-726-8320
Email: tmcco@msn.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/hcourtyoung

American Exceptionalism, Reflections of the Past or Today’s Reality?

 

As we enter what would have been Dad's 98th year, and I continue to write about our lives together, I wonder about the concept of American Exceptionalism. This term is “bantered about” by all of those with an ‘R’ or ‘D’ behind their name, especially in election years.

In this age of exceptional greed, is it still possible to have an exceptional culture? What does that really mean or look like?

First, we must define the term. Wikipedia notes the following:

“American exceptionalism is the theory that the United States is qualitatively different from other nations.^[2] In this view, U.S. exceptionalism stems from its emergence from the American Revolution, thereby becoming what political scientist Seymour Martin Lipset called "the first new nation"^[3] and developing a uniquely American ideology, "Americanism", based on liberty, egalitarianism, individualism, republicanism, democracy and laissez-faire. This ideology itself is often referred to as "American exceptionalism."^[4]”

“Although the term does not necessarily imply superiority, many neoconservative and other American conservative writers have promoted its use in that sense.^[4][5] To them, the U.S. is like the biblical "City upon a Hill"—a phrase evoked by British colonists to North America as early as 1630—and exempt from historical forces that have affected other countries.^[6]”

I believe most in America today would, if not explicitly, then implicitly use the “neoconservative” approach of superiority of the American culture and race. However, to Dad’s generation it meant something far different. While they may have expressed it in “neoconservative” terms, that is not what it meant to them.

In my book entitled, The Orphan Boy, A Love Affair with Mining, I note the following about a man who demonstrated true American Exceptionalism:

“One September afternoon I sat on the dump of a small mine in Colorado with a unique man, my dad, Herbert T. Young. Even at 12,000 feet, the sun was bright and warm, and the sky was so very blue. Below, the aspen leaves were just starting to turn gold, and there was a hint of fall in the air.

We had talked on the way up the rocky, steep road about the mines and the history of the area, as we often did. I never got tired of the many stories Dad told about his experiences and information he gathered in researching the mining district.

Arriving at the Orphan Boy mine, we sat down and had a cup of coffee from Dad’s ever present thermos. Even though I had previously heard many of his stories about this mine that started his love affair with mining, they seemed much more real as I sat with him in that remote and peaceful basin.

My eyes were drawn to the rugged splendor of the high peaks; Brittle Silver Mountain, Grizzly Peak, Revenue Mountain... Along the horizon were Gray’s and Torrey’s, two of Colorado’s fourteeners. The air was so clean I felt like I could almost reach out and touch the peaks across the Warden Gulch basin. Morgan Peak, behind me, and Santa Fe Peak to the south looked so close it seemed like I could hike to them in just a few minutes.

Everywhere I looked were evidences of the mining and prospecting that went on in a different time. I noticed the reddish brown and yellow gossans that streaked the mountain slopes in several places. All the while, this remote valley was very quiet, almost as if our thoughts themselves interrupted the solitude. This scene stirred something in my soul that words cannot begin to explain.

I thought of Dad and the many experiences he related to me. I noticed he was also scanning the mountains, deep in thought. He turned and smiled at me, with his brown eyes shining. I knew we were thinking, feeling and experiencing the same closeness to God in that moment.”

The feeling of kinship I experienced while sitting on that mine dump were similar to the feelings I had during the times Dad and I worked underground together. Working underground brings a special sense of closeness where everyone looks after one another. Even with 30 years difference in our ages, we were kindred souls.

A good example honoring others as you would yourself is as follows. This is a passage in my upcoming book, Light at the End of the Tunnel, about my Dad and our relationship:

“When mining at the Orphan Boy Mine, a story told in my book entitled Orphan Boy, A Love Affair with Mining, Dad offered his partners a ‘buy-sell’ agreement. He fully intended to buy them out and continue mining the Orphan Boy Mine.

Had Dad not offered his partners a ‘buy-sell’ agreement, not realizing they had the funds to buy him out, which he honored and was subsequently was bought out, things might have been different. This [Defense Minerals Exploration Administration (DMEA)] grant would have given the money to do the exploration at the Orphan Boy which Dad planned and always wanted to do and probably would have found the mineral that Dad always thought was there.”

Unknown to Dad, during the summer of 1952, his elderly partner, Fred Brooks, stated to the DMEA office staff that because the DMEA grant had been approved, his nephew had bought out Mr. Young’s interest and was attempting to buy out Mr. Schoonover (the third partner in the Orphan Boy Mine).

This grant was awarded before Dad was aware of it, and it was these funds that was used to pay back Mr. Brook’s nephew. Dad could have fought the buy-sell agreement, which could have been financially beneficial. This would have been the “neocon” approach. But Dad had given his word and made an agreement (which he signed), which he honored regardless of cost to him.

There are many other instances of this sacrificial type behavior throughout Dad’s life. He truly believed in “doing unto others as you would like them to do to you.” He loved people and it showed. He got a lot of joy in helping others and gave much of himself. He got a lot out of life and friendships.

I worked with Dad during the summers and after college graduation until his death and had the fortune to experience firsthand why his generation was named the “greatest generation.” He was typical of the World War II generation whose lives were interrupted by that war. When they came back home, they changed both America and the world in a special way.

Two other people in my life show this quality of “American Exceptionalism,” my son, William and my daughter Laura. They both are very talented, but deeper than that, they have the same gentile, quiet spirit that my Dad had. They both care about others and give much, but they get much from life as well.

As I note in Light at the End of the Tunnel:

“Years later, eating lunch as I sit on the dump [of the Orphan Boy mine] with my son, William, and my daughter, Laura, the memory that comes back most often is a sunny afternoon with Dad. I think of Dad and the many experiences he related to me. As I watch and listen to my children, I see in them the same fascination with life my Dad had. They look from one high peak to another with shining eyes and a sense of wonder that I saw so many years before in my Dad. These are gifts passed from one generation to another.”

I have met some of that generation (the 30 something’s) through William and Laura. I like what I see. They seem to be very practical and much more like the generation of their grandparents than my generation is.

My generation, from whom the current crop of “leaders,” corporate and political, come from, in general, doesn’t reflect the exceptionalism they are so fond of talking about. Our society is clearly a reflection of their views and qualities. In my opinion, very few show the same measure of exceptionalism of their parents.

It is for this reason I am writing about Dad, and our relationship. I want to touch the lives of others through writing which is why I attempt to “promote awareness through the written word.” It is also why I wrote my EPub, “The Art of Writing an EBook, How to Enrich Yourself and Others”.

All people have stories to tell. You have no idea the number of people who tell me that writing is “too hard” or “I don’t know where to start.” My EPub entitled “The Art of Writing an EBook, How to Enrich Yourself and Others,” can help with the “I don’t know where to start” challenge. I encourage you, my reader, to take a look at this EPub. If you have any desire to put your story into print, it is a resource which will help with many common writing challenges.

I had a mentor, best friend and Dad who demonstrated true “American Exceptionalism.” I see the same qualities in those of the generation of my children.

So, it seems that American Exceptionalism is alive and well in today’s world. It is not what those with an ‘R’ or ‘D’ behind their name term it or understand it to be. It is especially not what the “neocons,” corporate leaders or mainstream media (MSM) tell you it is. It is also not just an “American” trait, but is universal among people who truly love and value others as themselves.

American Exceptionalism is the quality of self-sacrifice and love of the other person that was demonstrated so well by my Dad’s generation and that is budding in the generation of their grandchildren. It is both a reflection of the past and a reality in today’s younger generation.

Sincerely,

H. Court Young
Author, publisher, speaker and geologist
Promoting awareness through the written word
Research, freelance writing & self-publishing services
Facebook: HCourtYoung
Phone: 303-726-8320

Email: tmcco@msn.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/hcourtyoung

As a tribute to my Dad’s 98^th year, I am offering a promotional discount of about 17% off on the EPub version of my book The Orphan Boy, A Love Affair with Mining. Visit Amazon.com by clicking of the link and check for this discount.

Lenovo, Cyberattacks and the Global Economy

The recent news about Lenovo Computer adding "Superfish" software (aka Adware) to its computers last fall (2014) inspired me to think about our global economy and computer infrastructure. How threatened is our way of life by these events and the increasing complexity of our world?

Lenovo installed Superfish which directed specific ads to be displayed on the affected computer based on the user's choices in web page viewing. Programs like Super Fish are called "ad-ware", short for advertising software, more affectionately termed "bloat ware" or "crapware."

Advertising software, or advertising supported software, is defined, by Wikipedia, as "any software package which automatically renders advertisements in order to generate revenue for its author." Newer adware is designed to analyze which internet sites the user visits and presents advertising "pertinent to the types of goods or services featured there", according to Wikipedia.

Below is a non-inclusive list of applications that bundle toolbars or unwanted add-ons with their installer (source Wikipedia).

• •Absolute Uninstaller - Ask toolbar
• •Ad-Aware - Google Chrome
• •Adobe Flash Player - Google toolbar
• •AnVir Task Manager Free - Dealio toolbar
• •Any Video Converter – Google Chrome
• •AOL Instant Messenger - AOL toolbar
• •avast! Free Antivirus - OpenCandy
• •AVG Free - Yahoo toolbar
• •AVG LinkScanner - Yahoo toolbar
• •BitComet - Google toolbar
• •BitTorrent - Ask toolbar
• •BS.Player - BS.ControlBar
• •Burn4free - 1Click DVD Copy Pro
• •BurnAware Free - ASK toolbar
• •CCleaner - Yahoo toolbar
• •CDBurnerXP - OpenCandy
• •ClamWin - Ask toolbar
• •COMODO Internet Security - ASK toolbar
• •Core Temp - Search Enhancement
• •CPU-Z - ASK toolbar
• •CrystalDiskInfo - OpenCandy
• •CrystalDiskMark - OpenCandy
• •CSmenu - Ask toolbar
• •CutePDF Writer - ASK toolbar
• •DarkWave Studio - OpenCandy
• •Defraggler - Google toolbar
• •Devpad - Babylon toolbar
• •Dexpot - OpenCandy
• •Driver Sweeper - Open Candy
• •ExtractNow - Registry Reviver
• •FlashGet - Google toolbar
• •FLVPlayer4Free - Video Download toolbar
• •Fotosizer - Dealio toolbar
• •Foxit Reader - Ask toolbar
• •Free Process Freezer - FLV Direct Player
• •FreeCommander - eBay shortcuts
• •Freemake Audio Converter, Video Converter, Video Downloader - Facemoods toolbar
• •Glary Utilities - Ask toolbar
• •Gom Player - ASK toolbar
• •HWMonitor - ASK toolbar
• •ICQ - ICQ toolbar
• •IE7Pro - Grab Pro toolbar
• •Image Tuner - ASK toolbar
• •ImgBurn - ASK toolbar
• •Immunet - Ask toolbar
• •IObit SmartDefrag - IObit toolbar
• •IObit Advanced SystemCare - Yahoo toolbar
• •IrfanView - Google toolbar
• •ISO Workshop - ASK toolbar
• •IZArc - Registry Booster
• •MediaCoder - Nitro PDF Reader
• •MediaInfo - OpenCandy
• •Miro - Ask toolbar
• •Moo0 Software - Autocomplete Pro
• •µTorrent - µTorrent toolbar
• •Nero Free - ASK toolbar
• •Orbit Downloader - Grab Pro
• •PC Tools Spyware Doctor - Google Toolbar
• •PC Tools Firewall Plus - Google Toolbar and Threatfire
• •PC Tools ThreatFire - Google Toolbar
• •PC Wizard - ASK toolbar
• •PDFCreator - Yahoo toolbar
• •PDF-XChange Viewer - ASK toolbar
• •Photobie - OpenCandy
• •PhotoFiltre - ASK toolbar
• •PicPick - Bing toolbar
• •Quick StartUp - ASK toolbar
• •Quicksys RegDefrag - ASK toolbar
• •RapidTyping - Bing toolbar
• •RarZilla Free Unrar - ASK toolbar
• •Recuva - Yahoo toolbar
• •Registry Repair - ASK toolbar
• •Satellite Antenna Alignment - Relevant Knowledge
• •SIW - Crawler toolbar
• •Skype - Google toolbar
• •Spider Player - Bing toolbar
• •Spyware Terminator - Web Security Guard
• •SUMo - Facemoods, Autocomplete Pro
• •SUPER - OpenCandy
• •Sweet Home 3D - Open Candy
• •Trillian - Ask toolbar
• •Tweak Me! - Nitro PDF Reader
• •Unlocker - Bing toolbar
• •USB Guardian - BestSecurityTips toolbar
• •µTorrent - Bing toolbar
• •Vista Codec Package - Bing toolbar
• •WebShot - OpenCandy
• •Win7codecs - Bing toolbar
• •Winamp - Winamp toolbar
• •Windows 7 Codec Pack - Dealio toolbar
• •Windows Essentials Codec Pack - Babylon toolbar
• •WinSCP - OpenCandy
• •XP Smoker - Bing toolbar

So what is the problem with this and why did Lenovo allow this to happen? After all, it potentially violates the "Defense in Depth" strategy for protecting computer systems (shown in the above diagram – courtesy of Microsoft).

The problem with it is twofold. To examine the first problem we need to look at the five stages of a cyberattack. According to an article entitled "Understanding What Happens in A Cyberattack," Processor magazine, February 6, 2015:

"Although no attacker sits down and thinks "now I'm in phase one," says Daniel Kennedy, research director at 4551 Research, there are general phases or steps of attack that explain how a cybercriminal penetrates a system. The first step includes "reconnaissance, learning about the target system, [and identifying] potential targets for social engineering." In step two, attackers scan, determine, or probe the system for vulnerabilities. Step three involves gaining access via one or more of those vulnerabilities. Step four is about maintaining access, which can involve "closing the initial vulnerability used and installing a backdoor, or pivoting off of an initially gained access to further gain access to more sensitive downstream systems." Step five focuses on destroying evidence of the intrusion and covering tracks."

Mr. Kennedy notes that "some common methods of attack include exploiting weakness via web applications, administrative systems, brute forcing credentials, phishing for access credentials, malware, RAM scrapers, key loggers and root kits." Threats may be internally or externally instigated. While internal threats are typically the most effective and the most difficult to detect, external threats are becoming increasingly sophisticated.

According to James Bickley, director of disputes and investigations, Navigant Consulting (Processor magazine, February 6, 2015), "a cybercriminal "might leave multiple pieces of malware in an enterprise once access is obtained and have some of it remain dormant to fool the enterprise into believing the network is secure."

"Attackers may also leave behind a 'toolkit,' Bickley says, 'to actually write malware inside the enterprise.' This is particularly difficult to locate he adds, because it didn't exist to be detected prior to breaching the system."

So what does this have to do with the recent Lenovo Superfish incident? There are two problems with this incident.

The first problem is that Superfish creates a "potential security hole." This program reaches outside the network conveying information about the user to the web. While this might or might not be directly exploitable by a cybercriminal, the hole is still there.

The second problem is more insidious. It turns out that the Root Certificates for the Superfish program were written by a firm named Komodia.

"Barak Weichselbaum founded Komodia, Inc. in 2000, following his military service as a programmer in the IDF's Intelligence Core. A custom solution provider to customers worldwide, Komodia first released its open source TCP/IP library in 2001. Through numerous projects in the past ten years, the company has found a niche in multiple areas of programming with one common theme: scarce documentation and a lack of experts. Today the company is focused on marketing its flagship product:"

Some interesting facts about Komodia include:

"Komodia's Redirector allows you to change TCP/IP network sessions with a few simple clicks. The platform intercepts traffic on the local machine based on rules that you define, and it includes many built in functions that you can use without writing a single line of code (if you need a solution that only sniffs the network traffic without modifying it, visit Komodia' s Interceptor web page)."

These root certificates are defined as:

"In cryptography and computer security, a root certificate is an unsigned public key certificate, or a self-signed certificate, and is part of a public key infrastructure scheme. The most common commercial variety is based on the ISO X.509 standard. Normally an X.509 certificate includes a digital signature from a certificate authority (CA) which vouches for correctness of the data contained in a certificate."

"Root certificates are implicitly trusted. They are included with many software applications. The best known is Web browsers; they are used for SSL / TLS secure connections. However this implies that you trust your browser's publisher to include correct root certificates, and in turn the certificate authorities it trusts, and anyone to whom the CA may have issued a certificate-issuing-certificate, to faithfully authenticate the users of all their certificates. This (transitive) trust in a root certificate is merely assumed in the usual case, there being no way in practice to better ground it, but is integral to the X.509 certificate chain model." – [source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Certificate_authority]

The following information presented on ArsTechnica website presents a good idea of the depth of the problem (From: http://arstechnica.com/security/2015/02/ssl-busting-code-that-threatened-lenovo-users-found-in-a-dozen-more-apps/).

SSL-busting code that threatened Lenovo users found in a dozen more apps

"What all these applications have in common is that they make people less secure."

A browser's root certificate helps encode communications back and forth with a secure web site, such as a bank or email service, so that messages can't be read by anyone else. The problem was that the replacement certificate from Superfish could be easily cracked by hackers, who could then pose as the secure web site and steal a user's passwords or other sensitive data.

A security researcher who goes by the Twitter handle @TheWack0lian said an additional piece of software known as SecureTeen also installed Komodia-enabled certificates. Over the weekend, the researcher also published findings documenting rootkit technology in Komodia code that allows it to remain hidden from key operating system functions.

Web searches for many of these titles uncover forum posts in which computer users complain that some of these applications are hard to remove once they're installed. Richard noted that he was unable to find documentation from any of the publishers explaining what effect Komodia software had on end-user PCs such as its ability to sniff passwords and other sensitive data from encrypted Web sessions.

The vulnerability was considered so serious that the Homeland Security Department's Computer Emergency Readiness Team issued an alert, as well, with additional advice for detecting and removing Superfish. Microsoft (MSFT) also got into the act and added Superfish removal to its Windows Defender antivirus app.

Over the weekend, researchers at Facebook (FB) reviewed data from the millions of browsers that contact the company's web site and found similarly weakened root certificates installed by other apps, not just Superfish. The culprits were a mixed bag of games, adware and other apps of unknown purpose. Eventually, antivirus programs should be updated to eliminate these weakened root certificates and restore browsers' proper certificates.

When the world's number one computer manufacturer and distributor sells computers with built-in security holes, this potentially bypasses step one and potentially step two of the cyberattack process. Cybercriminals can immediately work on gaining access to via identified vulnerabilities.

Of the 315 million computers sold worldwide in 2014 (Source: wikopedia.com), Lenovo sold about 18%. This would amount to about 50 million for the year and an estimated 10 million during this period (Q4). While not all of the Lenovo line of computers included this potentially harmful software, enough did to create a stir among the security and computer blogs that I follow.

"Consolidated sales for Lenovo's laptop PC business worldwide in the fourth fiscal quarter increased 16 percent year-over-year to US$4.8 billion, accounting for 51 percent of the Company's overall sales. During the same period, Lenovo's worldwide laptop PC shipments increased 12.9 percent, against the backdrop of an overall industry decrease of 5.8 percent." Source: http://news.lenovo.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=1795

I have three Lenovo laptop computers, all of which are used in our network. They work very well and none of them have presented any problem. I must say that I am dismayed at this action by a company that makes such a fine product.

Now that you understand some of the problems with "adware", the number of computers impacted as well as having an idea about the methodology of cyberattacks, we can explore the implications on our global society. As noted before, one of the basic principles of computer and network security is defense-in-depth. One of the immediate global implications is the potential security hole threatens not just the computer with the adware, but possibly any computer connected to it.

There is clearly a fight for global growth and increasing sales revenue in an exceedingly competitive technology market. All of the major computer manufacturers, such as Dell, Apple and Lenovo, are locked into a struggle to increase market share. Profits per computer sold are falling significantly due to extreme competition between chip and other component manufacturers.

It is for that reason, companies like Lenovo might, and apparently did, consider installing such software. They reportedly increased their revenue by a few dollars per machine, paid by the software developer, for the installation. Needless to say, the software developer was able to get its software in front of a large number of computer users (even if it was undetectable), for which advertisers probably paid large fees. While, as noted earlier, this "adware" or "bloat ware" is common in the industry, users don't particularly like it. It tends to slow computers down and is commonly accepted as the price to pay for "inexpensive computers."

This case, however, pointed out the extreme vulnerability with this model. If it had only been the adware, Lenovo might have had a few disgruntled customers. However, because of Komadia's involvement, the problem became far more sinister. As noted earlier, Komadia's use of easily hackable passwords for their certificates for the Superfish adware opened up a large security hole in the system. It also demonstrated the vulnerability of using external code, over which you may have no control or even knowledge of the depth of the potential problem. What Lenovo thought would be an innocuous piece of software, for which it could increase its bottom line, clearly backfired.

It seems that the needs of the top executives, board of directors and shareholders trumped the needs of the customers. This seems to be occurring more and more in a world dominated by "mega" corporations such as Lenovo, Verizon, ATT and Apple. It seems that there has been a change in the way business is conducted. Business ethics have been corrupted by corporate and political greed on a massive scale.

My EPub "World Collapse or New Eden" presents a look at some of the changes in business ethics from 2008 to today. There was a time when the majority of businesses could balance these aspects of commerce in a reasonable manner. Certainly, some large corporations are better than others on the scale of ethics. However, in my opinion, the majority of them are in lock step with our political system and are sliding seriously toward the negative end of the spectrum. This does not bode well for the global economy.

Technology presents great hope for a bright future. New advances in technology will advance medicine, communications, resource development, food production and the exploration of space to name a few. My EPub EROS, Journey to an Asteroid
shows the promise of technology and what can be accomplished with technology.

However, these advances in technology have to be coupled with wisdom, vision and ethics [i.e. morality]. I remember the small town shopkeepers of my Dad's and granddads generation. While they wanted to make a "profit" and a "good living", they were also part of a community. These "mom and pop" stores valued the "sale" but they valued their customers and the relationship they had with them even more. Their business was less of a revenue generation model and more of a service model. Unless we get back to the service approach to business and business ethics, the promise of technology will be available and affordable only to those who have the resources [i.e. the "top 1%"].

Sincerely,

H. Court Young
Author, publisher, speaker and geologist
Promoting awareness through the written word
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