Considering the Crush

PUBLISHED 
Travel restrictions are still in place in a number of countries around the world. But I am taking time to consider what I am really missing out on.

My last international trip was to Italy, which currently has curbs on any non-essential travel, and when I was in Rome, I realized that I can no longer be on vacation in Europe without realizing I am vacationing. Turning the corner with my smartphone map, we ran into the crush to shoot photos at the Trevi Fountain. Everyone shooting the same photo and posting it instantly. Look where I am!

Who really is “winning” this one? Continue reading “Considering the Crush”

Ransomware: best practices

Still the preferred attack against businesses, education, and governments. As a home user, the cyber policies below still go a long way to securing your computers against attacks:

“The FBI and CISA’s recommendations echo best practices for most cybersecurity situations: Don’t click on suspicious links. Make an offline backup of your data. Use strong passwords. Make sure your software is up to date. Use two-factor authentication. If you use Remote Desktop Protocol—a Microsoft product that has historically proven a popular entry point for attackers—proceed with caution.”

Out of Order

So typing with one hand is not impossible, but the flow of words is slower.

Anyway, I’ve still been making notes while I read. That’s what I always do. I go through old articles or books and see notes for which I don’t remember the context. I also have the stack of papers wherein I have a lot of my ideas for articles.

Some of these are not good either, but sounded good at the time. I think it coincides with those “great ideas at night.” Though I have tried, through writing them down, to stop forgetting those, that still happens.

But my activities being a little more sequestered, I am thinking more long-term. I hope to bring some of those projects online soon.

I have my first doctor’s follow-up this afternoon.

How to Write White Papers #6

In regard to writing, closing bit on White Papers for Dummies:

  • See how you can rearrange your writing environment/conditions
  • Try mind mapping or brainstorming
  • Trick yourself to get started
  • Ease off the self-criticism until after you write
  • Try positive affirmations

I’ll add: don’t think the ocean side, forests, deserts are automatically great places to write. If they help you then that’s fine, but some people think they must have a special environment.

It’s been a great read.

Return to SCUBA (coming soon)

I’ve been reading my new subscription to Scuba Diving Magazine from PADI and am now waiting for some friends of mine to join me diving soon. I need to take a refresher, but I am certified. Here are the main points that you should know about how to dive from my memory and reading:

  1. Keep on breathing, i.e. never hold your breath.
  2. Don’t rise faster than your bubbles. This is a rough estimate of your proper decompression when diving. Beware the bends:
    “Scuba divers decompress by ascending slowly. The gases (in particular nitrogen) that have dissolved into your bodily tissues under pressure at depth are released as you ascend, as the water pressure reduces.”
  3. Keep equalizing, i.e. pinch your nose and as you swim down or up and then try to breathe out of your nose. You will feel a slight pop as the air behind your eardrum equalizes pressure with the air in the front of your eardrum. If your ears dot not pop, stay at the depth you are until they do. If after a few seconds, you can still not pop them, go slowly up and try again at different depths. If you just can’t get them to equalize, surface and call the dive off.
  4. Pay attention to time, depth, and air supply and make decompression stops if required. Try this rundown.
  5. Always have a buddy!

I plan to extend this, but for now, anyone want to comment?

Gadgets 08/19/2021: Z Flip update, Pocket Monkii 2, Ecoflow power box, multi-tool with hammer, air fryer

My new tech days are comprised of today’s deals and then upcoming tech that I think kewl.

The Galaxy Z Flip is going places since I first heard of it having screen issues:
https://www.engadget.com/samsung-galaxy-z-flip-3-review-price-specs-cameras-screen-170051882.html

Continue reading “Gadgets 08/19/2021: Z Flip update, Pocket Monkii 2, Ecoflow power box, multi-tool with hammer, air fryer”

How to Write White Papers #5

Secondly, these are optional promotional actions after the required ones:

Mention the paper in your email sig line, your LinkedIn, or Google+
Sponsor a podcast, video chat
Send it to relevant analysts
Submit a guest post to relevant blogs
Post it on channel partner websites
Get it mentioned in industry association newsletters
Post it on industry association websites, portals or forums
Submit it to trade magazines
Syndicate it through a content network
Create a self-running presentation
Post your slidedeck online or use it for a webinar
Give a presentation at an industry conference
Give out hard copies at tradeshows and events
Give out digital copies on flash drives at events
Use it as a conversation starter
Use it as a leave-behind
Set up a Google AdWords pay-per-click campaign
Make an online display ad campaign
Advertise in trade magazines

I also thought about how we used swag at shows to get our name out there.

Google Home and Alexa vuln exposes IoT to audio-video theft

A new vulnerability exposes your cameras, video recorder, or baby monitor.

IoT users should regularly apply patches and updates to devices to ensure they’re protected against known vulnerabilities

The company’s website said its home video surveillance products also support Amazon Alexa and Google Home Assistant.

https://m.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/aug/17/researchers-say-theyve-found-flaw-exposing-million/?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=email_this&utm_source=email

Zdnet coverage on protection https://www.zdnet.com/article/critical-iot-security-camera-vulnerability-allows-attackers-to-remotely-watch-live-video-and-gain-access-to-networks/

How to Write White Papers #4

White Papers for Dummies held me a little more when it talked about promoting your white paper after you have created it.

First up, the must-do’s have all the things that I did in my marketing department position:

  1. Create a landing page with an abstract
  2. Feature it prominently on your site
  3. Mention it in company newsletters
  4. Email your salespeople/partners/in-house opt-in list
  5. Tweet about it on Twitter
  6. Blog about it
  7. Announce it in LinkedIn groups
  8. Publish a press release
  9. Send it to relevant journalists and bloggers
  10. Get mentioned in channel partner newsletters (and vice versa for them)
  11. Post it on (Scribd.com, slideshare.com, slideboom.com, mybrainshark.com)
  12. Create a slide deck and send it to sales and channel partners

Daily Practice

So I have to remind myself:

  1. Write every day
  2. Challenge the belief that you can’t learn any more about being a good writer
  3. Read the classics often
    The Elements of Style (illustrated one like I have)
    The AP Stylebook (all the way back to undergrad!)
    Writer’s Market (100th anniv this year)

    I’ll update this now and then today.

2:51 PM –
4. Just remembered Faulkner’s advice for writing: kill all your darlings, i.e. don’t be afraid to cross out that turn of phrase or word that you really think is great. Something better may come out of it.

 

How to Write White Papers #3

For me, the most important part of White Papers for Dummies is where you need to have a vision where there was none. Your product or company needs to differentiate itself by providing a new solution, or a new approach to a problem.

Traditional solutions do this wrong. Your offering does this instead. Clearly say what your company (or client) is doing and why your company does it best. You can prove through statistics and research. Sum up the problem, show how the competing offering doesn’t work, and then show your new and improved solution.

In a problem-solution paper, don’t mention your solution until the very last minute. This may sound counterintuitive, but the reason is to promote you as a trusted advisor and expert on your area.

Taking Meds as Prescribed!

I was just thinking about what happened to me that caused me to become med compliant. There was quite a bit of time from when I became ill to finally taking my medications as prescribed.

I had some tumultuous times at first. I had some violent mood swings, many very up periods and very little down moods. One doctor told me I was acting like Superman.

I said, “No I’m not.”

“OK then Batman.”

Funny now. But it was a warning that my mood swings would get worse over time if I didn’t stay compliant. I remembered in that moment that I feared getting to a place where, they told me, the medications would not help any longer. That fear thank God, set me right.

I now use 9 PM as the time to remember. I usually do.

If you have had any similar experiences or wisdom to apply here, please leave a note at bottom!

Take ’em.

How to Write White Papers #2

Just creating my white paper with the following pages:

1. Cover page

2. Content index and copyright notice

3. Executive summary, which I mentioned

4. Introduction to the industry-wide problem

5. Traditional solutions and how they don’t work (or work optimally)

6. Our new solution

7. Product buying guide

8. Case study (optional)

9. Conclusion and call to action

10. About the company (1/2 page)

11. End notes and bibliography

Again, these are adapted from White Papers for Dummies

I Have Hope for the Concern Over Olympics Mental Health

I have hope that all this mental health talk at the Olympics turns into some thing genuine, not just some virtue signaling or worse, a pure fad.

But I must repeat what has enabled me to get as far as I have: you must press through to a better life. Don’t let the waves tumble over you, situations to be too much for you. You can talk with others, you can live a good life. But step out and be aware that you are loved.

Please read my 7 things that I have learned over the past 23 years of mental illness and please talk to someone if you are having a rough time–or just leave comment here and I will reply.

Peace and grace.

Microsoft Warns Against Another Sophisticated Attack

Remember that threat actors can use sophisticated means to trick you into exposing your data and computer as a whole. https://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-warns-these-attackers-can-go-from-first-contact-to-launching-ransomware-in-just-48-hours/

Microsoft has warned about this bogus call center that gets you to install an app that leads to ransomware attack 48 hours later. Keep in mind that the bad guys have teams of people working for them and they look legit.