Full Cavity iPod Search

Just when things take a turn for the better...

Only a few days ago, Viacom reached a landmark agreement concerning the ruling handed down weeks ago forcing YouTube to hand over the records of every video ever watched. Viacom agreed to allow Google's popular video sharing site to mask user IDs and Internet addresses prior to handing over these intimately personal records.

In the wake of this triumph in the name of Internet privacy, a blow has been struck just days ago against our right to personal information on the Internet.

The leaders of the G8, meeting this week, are seemingly ready to ratify an agreement that would allow customs agents to search your mobile devices (computer, phone, iPod, etc.) for illegally downloaded media content...

...The biggest concern is that people who have downloaded media for personal use will be at risk of punishment, though no one knows exactly what the punishment would be. It has been reported however, that the European Parliament has suggested kicking offenders off the Internet.

If stripping off your clothing in order to enter an airport terminal left you felling violated, just try and imagine the feeling of a TSA probing through your most private digital data. Airports seem to have now officially suspended all rights to privacy in a futile attempt to squelch internet piracy. The slope has just become slippery, and our constitutional right to personal information is in jeopardy. No longer can we walk into an airport with an iPod in our pocket and be free from search and seizure by an officer in camouflage brandishing an assault rifle.

It is well known that the illegal downloading of copyrighted music is costing the industry millions in revenue. After all, half of the songs on the average teenager's iPod are illegal. However, the apparent evolution of how consumers obtain their digital content should be considered a catalyst for the industry to find new innovative ways to earn our money. Instead, the RIAA has decided to trample on our right to privacy and persecute those who have illegally downloaded copyrighted content.

The issue of Internet piracy has come to the forefront in recent months due to Comcast's illegal throttling of BitTorrent downloads. The FCC chairman Kevin Martin told the Associated Press that Comcast had "violated our principles" and accused the ISP of arbitrarily blocking Internet traffic and failing to disclose to its consumers that it was doing so. Companies such as Comcast and Viacom have overstepped their boundaries and violated our rights in the course of enforcing copyrighted content. Only when faced with the outrage of the Internet at large do they flinch on their demands.

Not only do rulings such as these directly impact our privacy in the near future, but they also threaten our personal safety within the walls of our airports. Now, not only must airport officials be concerned with preventing a possible terrorist attack, but they must spend their time wading through the plethora of Jack Johnson songs on my iPhone. Precious time and money will now be spent trying to stop a 14-year-old girl from downloading her favorite Miley Cyrus songs rather than keeping an eye out for possible threats to our safety. Airports have now become the place within our city limits where we feel the most threatened. Not by any outside terrorist threats or the possibility of an explosive in a passenger's shoe, but by the prying eyes of our very own government officers.

Getting Laid(Off)

Desks were emptied this morning throughout my company as shoreside layoffs became official.

Hearts were broken, bridges were burned, and lives were forever changed as employees were given a severance package and asked to immediately vacate the premises.

It proved to be an experience that I may never forget. Nor will I be able to fully comprehend its impact.

I find myself evermore appreciative of my position and grateful to still have a job to call my own. I have been blessed with the luck to be hired into a department with a small and highly valued programming team. Our unique skill set has spared us from this round of layoffs. Had I been a member of the company's large IT department, I could have found myself packing up my belongings this morning along with the 300 others who left the building unemployed this morning.

Needless to say, today has been a somber and emotional day for everyone within the company. I was fortunate enough to know only two of the employees that were laid off today, and only for a few months since my hiring. One of the managers who interviewed me for my current position, as well as another whom I shared a cubicle wall with were let go as part of the reduction. It is a humbling experience to watch others face the grim prospect of finding a new job in today's economy.

In the weeks leading up to this morning, I have had the opportunity to evaluate my career goals and prepare mentally for the possibility of a layoff. I tried my best to view this prospect as an opportunity rather than an affliction. It could be a chance to start over with a clean slate and readjust my career path. I feel I would have made the most out of a bleak situation.

As the stress and anxiety mounted, I entertained the possibility of returning to school and earning my masters degree in Computer Science. I also considered the value of earning an MBA to go alongside my bachelors in Computer Science. The worth of a graduate degree seems to be gaining strength in today's competitive job climate. Regardless of my job security, I feel my value to a potential employer would be greatly increased with a masters degree under my belt.

This type of career restart would have also afforded me the opportunity to avoid becoming pigeonholed into a type of software development career that would leave me unfulfilled. My preparation for this workforce reduction allowed me to toy with the idea of chasing my dreams and moving to Silicon Valley. These thoughts brought me comfort and a sense of alternatives through these tough times. However, in the end, I am infinitely grateful to still have my job.

Judge Googles Your Private Parts!

Well, not exactly...

But, your privacy has become a prevalent issue in reference to the actions of Google and Judge Louis L. Stanton.

The story broke on Wednesday, July 2, 2008 on Wired.com:

Google will have to turn over every record of every video watched by YouTube users, including users' names and IP addresses, to Viacom, which is suing Google for allowing clips of its copyright videos to appear on YouTube, a judge ruled Wednesday.

Viacom wants the data to prove that infringing material is more popular than user-created videos, which could be used to increase Google's liability if it is found guilty of contributory infringement.

A highly opinionated article discussing this ruling written by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) exposes the highly intrusive nature of this judge's decision. They rightfully object to the ruling by noting that it "erroneously ignores the protections of the federal Video Privacy Protection Act (VPPA), and threatens to expose deeply private information about what videos are watched by YouTube users." Viacom will now be able to view every video you have ever viewed on YouTube, no matter how innocent or illegal.

The judge's order also requires Google to turn over copies of all videos that it has taken down for any reason. This ruling threatens the privacy and anonymity of EVERY person who has ever used the extremely popular video sharing website. Cutting more deeply to the heart of the issue, it threatens the integrity of the entire internet as we know it. Users have put their trust in Google, knowing that it stores deeply personal information about their search history, emails, and video watching habits. It has been clear that Google has only used this information in order to better target their incredibly successful advertisement serving platform. We have all bought into Google's "do no evil" philosophy.

Now, with one knock of the gavel, a judge has forever altered the landscape of online privacy. No longer can we follow a link to a video or search for a topic of interest without questioning who will view this information. We can no longer feel safe using web-based email services without wondering who is storing our messages and what they may be used for. We were fine with them being used to figure out our interest and target better ads but, with the US government exposing the data which was kept safe for years by a benevolent company such as Google, we can never feel safe and secure on the internet again.

JesusPhone - The Second Coming

Let it be known that on July 11, 2008 in the wee hours of the morning, the second coming of the omnipresent JesusPhone became official.

The mass hysteria surrounding its resurrection reached its climax on Friday morning when the first of the new iPhone 3Gs were sold in Auckland, New Zealand.

It met its official US release at 8am Friday morning and the line of geeks at every Apple Store stretched for miles on end. The American workforce slowed to a mere crawl on Friday as millions lined up to get their hands on Apple's newest and greatest product. Little did everyone know that, when the hysteria finally hit critical mass and the doors to every Apple Store and AT&T Store opened nationwide, their ordeal had only just begun.

What major weblogs dubbed the iPocalypse was the debacle at every Apple Store and AT&T location wherein customers who attempted to activate their new iPhones overloaded Apple's servers and crashed the system. Apple Stores across the country slowed to a crawl with hundreds of customers waiting in line outside their doors. The official word from AT&T seemed to point the finger at Apple.

We have had reports that customers attempting to download new iTunes 7.7 software to their new iPhone may get an error message saying "page not found." We have reported this issue to Apple. While Apple works to resolve this issue, we are asking customers to sync their newly activated phone later at home.

Early Friday morning, my mother became one of the lucky few who experienced little to no problems purchasing and activating a brand new iPhone 3G. After waiting in line for nearly 3 hours, she had a choice between a white 16 Gig model and a black 8 Gig model. My sister chose to upgrade to the 8 Gig black model, but I was unsure of the choice. Since I did not want to settle for an 8 Gig model and Bree was set on purchasing the white model, I told my mother to buy the white in hopes that Bree would be able to purchase a 16 Gig black phone and we could switch.

However, the story was not the same for Bree and her mother. Their ordeal began at 10:30 am when Bree's mother arrived at the Apple Store and stood in the nearly 300 person line. Now, we all know the iPhones went on sale at 8am and she was slightly late in arriving, but with an estimated 750-1000 iPhones in stock at every Apple Store nationwide there was no threat of them running out of stock. The problems began nearly immediately after her arrival, and she would not see the inside of the Apple Store for many hours.

After getting out of work, Bree joined her mother in line in order for them to both purchase the phones and alleviate some of the burden. They were both finally inside the store at around 8:30 pm, nearly 10 hours after originally getting in the line. After finally reaching the front of the line within the store itself, they triumphantly purchased their iPhones at around 10:00 pm after a nearly 12 hour ordeal. Bree and I were able to switch SIM cards and have the colors we originally desired. The wait may have been long, but it has not diminished the excitement of finally having the latest and greatest phone in the world. We are to grateful to our mothers!

Wii don't feel very Fit

Well, after a relaxing long weekend in Key Largo, I'm back in Miami ready to impart a few more of my ramblings with you.

Today marks day number 38 since I began using the notoriously popular Wii Fit.

Yet again, I stand naked in the morning gawking at my television screen as my Mii plumps up into an obese state. I tremble at the mere sight of my BMI chart as it climbs at a seemingly unprecedented pace.

After reaching record lows last week, Bree and I have steadily risen back up near our original BMIs. This type of weight gain is unacceptable and we have re-dedicated ourselves to losing the pounds we have put on in the year we have been dating. In the spirit of this dedication, I set a goal last week to lose 5 pounds per month until our scheduled cruise in December. This goal will leave me at around 190 pounds going into the cruise (hardly my ideal weight, but acceptable).

As I approached this past holiday weekend, I had been on a steady pace to reach my goal. However, a long weekend dining out in the Florida Keys has set me back in a significant way. I realized this morning that my refusal to follow the program I had set for myself has cost me dearly. The Wii Fit has spoken, and it has instilled the fear of failure and obesity in me.

This is not to say that I am not noticeably more fit today than I was just a few short months ago. In fact, I have been the recipient of several encouraging comments about my rediscovered muscle mass in the past few days (even if they were from Bree). I greatly enjoy the increased energy and strength that I have gained with steady workouts. But, my self-confidence still wains when I see my protruding gut in the mirror.

This leads me to question the criteria with which we measure our own personal fitness. How should I measure my own physical fitness level? What measurements and personal assessments should I hold more important than others? This is the very same inquiry addressed today in one of my favorite fitness blogs.

To me, it seems senseless to seek some sort of objective measure of fitness. Each of us is different. We have different bodies. We have different minds. We have different goals. Instead, I think we ought to have individual standards of fitness, based on our personal strengths and weaknesses...

...I believe fitness is more about the journey than any destination. I believe that each of us — regardless of our personal fitness levels — should strive to become more fit than we already are. It’s up to you to decide what that means in your case.

Regardless of the fact that I feel stronger and more fit than I did a few months ago, the weight is still there. It has settled nicely into my gut and seems to have made a nice home for itself there. I have been exercising regularly twice a week with Bree's personal trainer and truly eating better than ever before. Despite my efforts (which I admit are less than stellar), progress ha slow and my weight has been unwavering.

So, to achieve my goals and feel happy about my appearance once again, I have resolved to increase my efforts in hopes of regaining my long lost fitness. I took a tour of my company's on-site gym yesterday and am in the process of inquiring about membership prices in hopes of running daily during my lunch break. Getting into better habits such as this will contribute greatly to the success of my long-term fitness plans. It will allow me to get some daily cardio exercise (even if I do not find time to do other exercise during the week). Along the same lines, Bree and I have created an official list of sacrifices that we have determined to follow until we are in good shape again (hopefully, by then, we can give these things up for good).

• Dining Out (except special occasions)
• Ice Cream (except Skinny Cow less than once a week)
• Desserts
• Pizza
• Beer
• Soda
• More than 2 glasses of wine per night
• More than 2 cups of coffee per morning
• Pasta (except Orzo with dinner)
• Vending machine food
• Nutri-Grain Bars
• Chips (including Tortilla chips)
• French Fries
• Dinner Rolls
• Fried Food
• White Rice
• Pastelitos
• Cuban Bread
• Unhealthy Office Food
• Spring Rolls
• Chicken Wings
• Movie Theatre Snacks
• Eating After 9:00 PM
• Excuses for NOT doing Wii Fit
• Excuses for NOT working out Fridays
• Excuses for NOT eating salad DAILY
• Driving to Blockbuster/CVS/Winn Dixie
• Pre/Post-Dinner Snacks
• 3rd Fajita

We are responsible for holding each-other accountable for following this list and, ultimately, achieving our weight loss goals. We know we have a long way to reach our individual milestones but, with each-other's help and encouragement, we can meet (and surpass) our goals and become a fit and sexy couple. It all starts tonight with some Wii Fit training before going to bed. Lets hope I don't snap the balance board...

FeelING Fiscal

Transitioning from beer chugging college frat boy to responsible young professional has been a lengthy process.

I have attempted to tackle as many issues as I could by prioritizing and conquering one goal at a time.

In the past few weeks, my paramount concern has been my present and future financial stability. Shifting from a meager college budget to a more respectable professional salary has raised many new worries that I had neglected to anticipate. I want the best quality of life possible for myself and my future family for the long term. And I fear the trappings that come with lifestyle inflation as well as drowning in student loan debt.

It's a great feeling to finally have the funds to purchase the gadgets that I have always fawned over. Not to mention the satisfying sense of independence that comes with acquiring the means to pay my own bills. However, I know that if I focus on my financial well-being at an early age, my future stability can be well in hand significantly earlier than my peers. I have made a plan to carefully analyze my spending for the next few months and determine a reasonable budget that fits well into my lifestyle.

With the economy in such a dire state today, Bree and I have been lucky to acquire stable jobs with highly competitive salaries immediately following our college graduation. It would be foolish for us to squander such a blessing by not properly managing our assets and neglecting to plan for the future.

Conversely, we would be equally stupid to restrict ourselves to an excessively stringent budget at such a youthful age. We are fortunate to be earning such competitive salaries and should enjoy all of the opportunities that this financial freedom affords us. By roving through some of the best and most realistic financial blogs the web has to offer, we have been able to contrive a goal-oriented action plan with realistic ambitions. We are still learning how to save for the future and form a stable financial base. But we have taken steps to ensure that, sooner rather than later, we will not have to be concerned about money.

As the initial step of my current financial plan, I have overcome my own inertia and appetite for procrastination and opened a high-yield savings account at ING Direct. It is surprisingly exciting to finally have an account where I can earn some real money and still have the freedom to save for emergencies, vacations, and large purchases. This method follows in the footsteps of Robert Pagliarini in The Six-Day Financial Makeover when he advocates saving for goals in several targeted accounts rather than in one lump account.

What was once just a plain investment account is now a dream — a real goal you are committed to achieving. Account statements have been transformed from boring pieces of paper into exciting treasure maps!

I have never been one to gloat, nor am I someone that counts my chickens before they hatch (I rarely even count them after they hatch), but this a true accomplishment which I am very proud of myself for. It feels great to accomplish one's goals (even if those goals are merely stepping stones in the path to greater achievements).

Vacation Fixation

There's Bree, my wonderful loving girlfriend.

A few short months ago we made one of our greatest decisions since becoming a couple by choosing to become SCUBA certified.

I have lived my entire life in Miami, within minutes of the Atlantic Ocean, without ever really immersing myself in the water. By becoming a certified open water diver, I have found a hobby that I can truly love and enjoy on a regular basis. In the span of the past few months, Bree and I have completed over a dozen dives and have bit the bullet by purchasing all of our own equipment. Diving has given me a new sense of calm and relaxation when I needed it most.

As you may have read in my previous post, I recently graduated from college and have joined the ranks of corporate America. And, while life confined within the grey fabric walls of a cubicle has its advantages (enhances the humor of Office Space), it has already begun its drain on my enthusiasm and fervor for life. I find myself fantasizing about a lifestyle overhaul or a career path redirection.

The thought of gathering my scarce belongings and trekking over to Silicon Valley or Europe seems evermore enticing. I long for 2 hour lunches lounging by the canals of Copenhagen, Denmark and the carefree creative office environments that Silicon Valley startups have to offer for a young ambitious developer. I know the dream is still out there waiting for me, and maybe one day it will be within my reach. But, it seems the longer I wait for this day in my cubicle, the less I feel I will have the balls to step up and take it.

These facts lead me directly to the primary subject of this post, my vacation. Don't misunderstand me, I love my job. Nothing satisfies my more than sitting for hours on end behind an LED screen typing away on some programming project (I can't even drag myself far enough away from a computer to stop when I'm at home). And, not to mention, the benefits and coworkers at my place of business are outstanding. I mean, I LOVE cruising, and now I can do it for FREE! But, regardless, I need out of this damn cubicle.

So, here we go...

Bree and I have made the decision to plan a vacation for just the two of us this December. A chance for the two of us to escape the trappings of our cubicle lifestyles and enjoy the allure of the caribbean. We are considering many different cruise options, since we would have to travel on stand-by without any confirmation until the week of the sailing.

It's been on our minds for a few weeks now (not to mention she's also planning a cruise to Greece with my family next summer) and we have narrowed our options down to caribbean cruises leaving out of Miami. We want the opportunity to dive again in the warm waters of the caribbean sea, and these trips are the most cost efficient. All of our selections sound incredible, and it will truly be a great experience just to get away together and relax.

At this juncture in my life, even a week at home without major responsibilities sounds incredibly enticing. My last semester of college was the most stressful of them all, and transitioning straight into corporate America has not left me with much relaxation time. So, once my vacation time kicks in (sometime in mid-November) we're gone. For as long as humanly possible.

Why Blog? Why Now?

Yeah, that's me.

Chugging down a beer bong.

Life was very different for me just 6 short months ago.

It's been 2 months since my college years ended, and the real world has hit me like a freight train. Today I am a professional software developer for a major cruise line. I've gone from frat parties and Thursday nights in the Grove to office cupcakes in the break room. I've been avoiding adulthood like it were the plague, but the time has finally come for me to face it and grow the hell up.

A few months ago I officially moved out of my parents' house and into my girlfriend's condo. Her and I are really great together, which has made the transition from couple to roommates much easier. We can go out to the bars together and down pitcher after pitcher of beer, or we can just hang out on the couch and drink a bottle of wine together.

We've been together for just over a year and we're both staring down the same obstacles heading into the real world. She recently graduated from grad school and has also just started working for another major cruise line. The past few months have been spent trying to stabilize our financial situation as well as our physical fitness.

I have been scouring all of the best and most popular financial blogs in the past few weeks and have found it very challenging to organize all of my thoughts on the matter. As I sat down and tried and take down all of my thoughts regarding personal finance, I realized that there was a seemingly endless list of topics that I needed to do the same for. I resolved to start this blog in hopes of bringing some order to my ideas and allow others to share their input as well.

Just remember, this is merely a gathering of my thoughts and personal opinions. So be considerate...