Go Forth and Tech the Gospel

Elder L. Tom Perry described how the pull of technology can distracts away from the saving power of the gospel but reminded that technology is a tool. Technology is the means, not the end, "Salvation is not in facilities or technology, but in the word. Only in the power of the word will it impact our lives and help us to live closer to our Father in Heaven." Like any tool, technology can be used for wholesome and virtuous actions or for cruel and nefarious actions. Technology can be a blessing or a weapon. Elder Legrand Richards stated many years ago the black and white nature of technology, "Now if we don’t use them to teach His gospel, Satan will use them to lead the people astray." Evil individuals are able to fill the internet with pornography, predators, sex, and drugs. Good and wholesome individuals are able to counter this influence of evil by standing up for what is right and sharing their testimonies of what has brought joy and happiness to their lives.

Intellectual Property... Who's Property?

The intellectual property rights system in the United States needs to change. They need to change for software. They need to change for music and literature as well. The Constitution, Section 8, Article 1 states, "The Congress shall have Power... to promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries." The founders of the United States intended for the government to promote the progress the sciences and the arts. They also intended for discoveries and inventions to have limited exclusive rights to the authors and inventors. Breaking this down, the laws of intellectual property need to be balanced between the promotion of the society's innovations and the benefit of the authors' and inventors' ingenuity.

The Great Debate: Patents or no Patents, that is the Question

Churches and Markets?

Eric Raymond offers remarkable insight into the development processes. He advances the progression and the spread of open sources software development. He promotes open source over proprietary software. Although Raymond is persuasive in the open source development model, both paradigms of software development benefit users in different ways. Yes, open source development can provide users with overall higher than average software than proprietary software but proprietary software is capable of being of high quality than open source software. For example, consider the graphics software programs such as Maya and Houdini; these programs are extremely higher in quality then the open source counterpart Blender. Open source and proprietary software both have benefit and both provide the end users with their desired software.

Women: They Have Their Agency

President Cecil O. Samuelson addresses the issue of women in the hard sciences directly. Women should be allowed to choose what they want, in all aspects of their lives. Women's decisions should not be chosen by others; their agency is their own, not for others whims or desires. Families and society should cultivate a sense of opportunity for women. Women should feel as though they can accomplish anything they desire, whether it is to be a rocket scientist, a biologist, or a stay-at-home mother. Society should not enact extreme policies or laws to push women into certain fields. Paul De Palma and Senator Ron Wyden, although having good intentions, are pushing an agenda that is not their own. Let women make their own decision.

The Cuckoo's Egg - Stollian Counter Espionage

Cliff Stoll was an amazingly lucky individual and he was the right man to counter attack European hackers and bring them to justice. Here is a reason why Cliff Stoll was the right man for this job:

Luck & Dilligence

Cliff Stoll was lucky. Everything landed into his lap. Not everyday do hackers, let alone hackers from Europe, use your research facility's computer to perform espionage against the military and government institutions of your country. Cliff Stoll was an astronomer become computer systems manager. He didn't have the formal training that would be expected of a counter espionage internet agent; his job required him to move from being a full-time research astronomer to systems manager. He had the background of a research and the knowledge of stars and black holes, not computer wizardry. Then the chances of him, shortly after his job assignment, noticing a slight accounting error caused by a computer hacker were slim. Stoll luckily had a boss to give him the flexibility and time to figure out who the cuckoo was tampering with their system. Again and again funds were low, Stoll's boss's patience wore thin, and the hacker far out of reach; but some how a little more time was given to Stoll's efforts to find this infiltrator. Although many governmental agencies didn't care less about Stoll's hacker friend, they eventually understood the importance of figuring out who the hacker was and were willing to help Stoll. While he was finding out who the hacker was he had phone company friends help him make phone traces to where the hacker was located. He also had friends who would help him think through his problems and place confidence in his ability to solve it. Cliff Stoll was lucky.

Though Stoll didn't have the training to handle computer espionage he didn't let that stop him from figuring out that someone was tampering with his system. He didn't let this lack of expertise prevent him from figuring out who was tampering with his system. Stoll carefully analyzed every movement of the computer terrorist; not one login was unnoticed. Every username the hacker used, every terminal command he typed, and every file he downloaded was caught and recorded. Stoll was amazingly intuitive, diligent, and had a "can do" attitude to persevere and succeed with his goal of unveiling his clandestine hacker.

After a year of effort, sleeping at the office, an unhappy girlfriend and boss, and the reluctance of government agencies' help in tracking international computer espionage rodents, Stoll's efforts paid off. He eventually found where the hacker was coming from and was able to put an end to his crimes. Stoll was the right man at the right time and at the right place. Even though there were setbacks there were more set-forwards. Though there where times when he wanted to give up he kept going. Other individuals may have had the opportunity to bring down computer espionage but Cliff Stoll is the one who did and the one that will be remember.

Middle East Conflict

The Middle East turmoil is growing as protests have occurred in Cairo, Egypt and Kabul, Afghanistan with an attack on the U.S. Embassy in Libya. Four Americans died in the U.S. Embassy attack in Libya, one being the U.S. Ambassador to Libya. The question is how to deal with these situations. Obviously, the U.S. is not going to go to war with Libya because of a few individuals' aggression towards them. War is not an inherently good thing. War is a process for resolution that should be used as infrequently as possible. War is not an option in this scenario. The solution to this problem begins with finding out how and why it happened. The Libyan government and the Obama Administration are disagreeing as to how these attack were spurred. This is needs to be resolved. After understanding why these attacks occurred, the second part of the solution is making sure that this never happens again. If removing the embassy and all personnel needs to be done, that should be done. All peaceful solutions that include the safety of Americans and our liberty should be done.

Current Event: Health Insurance Increases

Health insurance costs rise, unfortunately. I have recently accepted a position at Xactware, located in Orem, UT. This is my first full time position at a software company and I am now learning how to deal with things like paying for health insurance. The idea that health insurance costs are increasing makes me cringe because these costs are not negligible, and if taxes and other costs are included in the deduction of my paycheck my take home pay decreases rapidly. President Obama is not the best suited to lead the country. His policies or vision for the country will not provide lasting solutions to major problems the country is facing, such as health care. Presidential candidate Mitt Romney has the experience and capabilities to tackle difficult problems like health care, to remove bureaucracy, fraud, and other crippling factors. Mitt Romney will succeed.

Man's Agency in Technology

People decide their own destiny. Yes, this is cliche but the meaning behind the cliche should not be hidden or forgotten. People have the ability to make their own decisions. People are capable of doing good things, bad things, or any other sort of thing, and people's decisions with respect to technology are included in that. People are allowed to use technology in a beneficial manner to themselves and those around them. They are also allowed to use technology to steal, cheat, lie, and for any other malevolent purpose. Many things in life, unrelated to technology, have this ability. So why is technology any different? Technology should not, therefore, be opposed out of fear. Neil Postman outlines how technology is something to be wary of and almost feared. Even though Elder Oaks understands the potential evil of technology, he does not discourage it. Elder Oaks encourages the wise use of our time in pursuit of truth, no matter the technology.

Inception

I just started up my first blog. I'm not sure how I feel about this right now, but I think I'll like it :)