http://blogcritics.org/ A sinister cabal of superior bloggers on music, books, film, popular culture, politics, and technology - updated continuously. en Copyright 2005-2007 by the authors Tue, 21 Jun 2005 16:12:46 EDT http://backend.userland.com/rss Blogcritics.org custom software http://blogcritics.org/ Phillip WinnSunday, August 26, 2007, marks the switch of all Blogcritics.org article feeds from full-content to short-content. This is the result of several converging factors, and is unfortunately a permanent decision (as permanent as any decision can be on the web, that is). We are aware of all of the reasons that this is a Bad Idea, and we are aware that some of you will be quite upset about having to click on something to read the free content, and we're sorry. Unfortunately, despite great effort, full-content feeds are not currently economically viable. Two other factors are involved: full-content feeds have resulted in an unprecedented level of content theft, with BC content appearing on many websites, usually spam sites, without attribution or permission. This duplicate content causes a cascading set of problems, not the least of which is that search engines generally aren't favorable to duplicate content, and don't always guess correctly. Finally, our RSS advertising partner is strongly in favor of short-content feeds. We hope that you'll continue to subscribe to BC via RSS, and when an article grabs your eye, it's only a click away, still free on the BC website. Thank you for your understanding. Administration0@blogcritics.org Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/06/21/161246.php Christopher Auman I stumbled over an article today (included at the end of my entry) and it prompted me to finally ask some questions... I'm definitely not trying to start a debate on this particular issue because I think we've already been down that road (the Ten Commandments, for example). I thought you might want to read this article and store it away somewhere though.What I am really interested in discussing is the big picture issue of why is America so divided between the two parties and what are the causes?Personally, I tend to gravitate more toward moderate to liberal political views. I am against abortion, an environmentalist, I am for gay marriage, I am a Catholic Christian who goes to church every week. That said, I would like your opinion on the whole (excuse the term) "right wing" way of thinking. If you support or understand the right wing way of thinking, I thought you might be able to weigh in and educate me and others.I've been pondering this way of thinking ever since the last election and it bugs me. Some have mentioned that I might only need a slight shift in my views to understand "the right" or I might have to get my mind "reframed" to understand it all from their point of view. I personally subscribe to one view in my mind and that is the intentions of our founders that escaped persecution overseas and came to this land to form the perfect country.The issue of the differences between the right and the left are very big picture issues but there is one in particular that I think forms the basis of all beliefs and that's the separation of church and state. I believe this issue is the very basis of our ideologies and the issue that we build many other views upon... we all need to address this issue so we can further understand where each side is coming from, why we think this way, and most importantly... is it what our Founders intended.My beliefs and the Founders' beliefs:My belief is very simple... that it's our right to think, act, worship, and live our lives however we want as Americans. That's what makes this country so great. We can be as moral or as immoral as we want just as long as we don't break any laws provided by the United States of America. God will judge us in the end and that is his job in this whole argument.The beliefs of the right:The difference in the way of thinking though comes from "the right" where people believe that it's their duty to somehow protect the entire country from what they believe is immoral based on their individual views, religion and ideology. They believe it is their right as Americans to stand up for what they believe in and try to mold the country into a society that conforms to what they believe is moral and just.I believe there is a very fine line between these two ways of thinking and people often are confused or uneducated about which way is correct.My belief is that the progressives protect OUR freedoms, the conservatives protect their beliefs. It's that simple.For example, I believe gay men and women should be able to have a legal union or marriage if the church allows it. Marriage has only been associated with love very recently in our history and even more recently with the church. Originally, it was a simple transaction between the bride's father and the husband. It had nothing to do with the union of only a man and a woman. This way of thinking comes from recent Christian and other religious ideology.My point in giving this example is that I believe it is more important to stand up for the rights of the individual making the choice, not for my own beliefs. I believe that protecting the ideas this country was founded upon is more important than my own beliefs. For example, I would probably be pretty disappointed if one of my boys came to me and said that he was gay and getting married. But that doesn't make me want to support a law that says that they can't get married or that my neighbor can't. They are free adults and there is nothing that should limit their desire to commit to each other with a legal union. Of course, the people have spoken on that issue. Anyway...It all comes down to the debate over whether it's more important to stand up for YOUR opinion or it's more important to fight for everyones right to have an opinion.This is the basic way of thinking that I think we all need to understand. I need to know why some feel so strongly about protecting the rights this country has been built on and others feel so strongly that it's their duty to tell others what they think is right. I hope you can see the difference.I think this is where the line is drawn down the middle of our country and why so many people disagree on so many issues. I hope someone can help me understand the other side, but if you are already on the other side, maybe I've helped you reframe your own way of thinking in the process of trying to confirm my own.www.yensid.org"Moses Didn't Write The Constitution" by Thom Hartmannhttp://www.commondreams.org/views05/0303-30.htmThom Hartmann (thom at thomhartmann.com) is a Project Censored Award-winning best-selling author and host of a nationally syndicated daily progressive talk show [www.thomhartmann.com]. His most recent books are The Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight, Unequal Protection, We The People, The Edison Gene, and What Would Jefferson Do?, in which parts of this article first appeared. Politics31380@blogcritics.org Tue, 21 Jun 2005 16:12:46 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/06/20/140440.php Christopher AumanThe following is my recent conversations with Osama at his remote cave dwelling somewhere in hell. Pay attention because he finally tells us what we need to do to stop terrorism. Don't let the pundits spin it because there is no doubt about the reasons. I address his mental capacity, his goals, whether he believes he has been successful so far and whether he has showered lately. Enjoy because it was an extremely painful trip and interview process for reasons you'll soon understand.These are his own words... Yensid: Osama, how have you been?Osama: All Praise is due to Allah.Yensid: Osama, you didn't answer the question. Seriously, how is your heath? How is your life?Osama: Your security is in your own hands infidels! And every state that doesn't play with our security has automatically guaranteed its own security!Yensid: Nothing like getting right to the point.Osama: All Praise is due to Allah.Yensid: Ok... well, let's get down to business man... it's been a long trip.Osama: All Praise...Yensid: Ok! Ok! Let me just ask you a question. Are you a crazed, insane maniac? Do you continue to wage war on the United States and it's allies because you simply enjoy the bloody image of Americans slaughtered in the streets? What is the purpose and reason for your terrorist acts?Osama: No, we are not crazy as you suggest. We fight because we are free men who don't sleep under oppression. We want to restore freedom to our nation, just as you lay waste to our nations. So shall we lay waste to yours.Yensid: Do you hate freedom sir?Osama: No, we ourselves are free men and we love freedom. If you believe we hate freedom, then let him explain to us why we don't strike for example - Sweden? And we know that freedom-haters don't possess defiant spirits like those of the 19 - may Allah have mercy on them. No one except a dumb thief plays with the security of others and then makes himself believe he will be secure. Whereas thinking people, when disaster strikes, make it their priority to look for its causes, in order to prevent it happening again.Yensid: So you believe that we are not addressing the true cause of 9/11?Osama: Most definitely.Yensid: Do you believe that the U.S. has made any effort to address the real cause of 9/11 as you see it?Osama: I am amazed at you. Even though we are in the fourth year after the events of September 11th, Bush is still engaged in distortion, deception and hiding from you the real causes. And thus, the reasons are still there for a repeat of what occurred. Yensid: So what do you believe (in your expert opinion) is the reason for the continued terrorist insurgency around the world and in Iraq.Osama: So I shall talk to you about the story behind those events and shall tell you truthfully about the moments in which the decision was taken, for you to consider.I say to you, Allah knows that it had never occurred to us to strike the towers. But after it became unbearable and we witnessed the oppression and tyranny of the American/Israeli coalition against our people in Palestine and Lebanon, it came to my mind.The events that affected my soul in a direct way started in 1982 when America permitted the Israelis to invade Lebanon and the American Sixth Fleet helped them in that. This bombardment began and many were killed and injured and others were terrorized and displaced.I couldn't forget those moving scenes, blood and severed limbs, women and children sprawled everywhere. Houses destroyed along with their occupants and high rises demolished over their residents, rockets raining down on our home without mercy.The situation was like a crocodile meeting a helpless child, powerless except for his screams. Does the crocodile understand a conversation that doesn't include a weapon? And the whole world saw and heard but it didn't respond.In those difficult moments many hard-to-describe ideas bubbled in my soul, but in the end they produced an intense feeling of rejection of tyranny, and gave birth to a strong resolve to punish the oppressors.And as I looked at those demolished towers in Lebanon, it entered my mind that we should punish the oppressor in kind and that we should destroy towers in America in order that they taste some of what we tasted and so that they be deterred from killing our women and children.So with these images and their like as their background, the events of September 11th came as a reply to those great wrongs, should a man be blamed for defending his sanctuary?Yensid: So, you truly just believe that you are repaying what we did to you. Don't you think that is a little harsh? Why not warn the American people before doing something so drastic? Why attack the American people and not the leaders? Osama: This is the message which I sought to communicate to you in word and deed, repeatedly, for years before September 11th.And you can read this, if you wish, in my interview with Scott in Time Magazine in 1996, or with Peter Arnett on CNN in 1997, or my meeting with John Weiner in 1998.You can observe it practically, if you wish, in Kenya and Tanzania and in Aden. And you can read it in my interview with Abdul Bari Atwan, as well as my interviews with Robert Fisk.Yensid: Do you find it hard to get your message through to our government and leaders? Osama: Yes. This is due to many factors, chief among them, that we have found it difficult to deal with the Bush administration in light of the resemblance it bears to the regimes in our countries, half of which are ruled by the military and the other half which are ruled by the sons of kings and presidents.Yensid Do you find Bush and the American government easy to manipulate?Oh yes. All that we have mentioned has made it easy for us to provoke and bait this administration. All that we have to do is to send two mujahidin to the furthest point east to raise a piece of cloth on which is written al-Qaida, in order to make the generals race there to cause America to suffer human, economic, and political losses without their achieving for it anything of note other than some benefits for their private companies.Yensid: So, what is your ultimate goal. How will you feel victorious over the U.S.? Osama: We are continuing our current policy in bleeding America to the point of bankruptcy. Allah willing, and nothing is too great for Allah.Yensid: Anything else?Osama: That being said, those who say that al-Qaida has won against the administration in the White House or that the administration has lost in this war have not been precise, because when one scrutinizes the results, one cannot say that al-Qaida is the sole factor in achieving those spectacular gains.Rather, the policy of the White House that demands the opening of war fronts to keep busy their various corporations - whether they be working in the field of arms or oil or reconstruction - has helped al-Qaida to achieve these enormous results.And so it has appeared to some analysts and diplomats that the White House and us are playing as one team towards the economic goals of the United States, even if the intentions differ.Yensid: Do you feel that your cost is worth your recent successes? Osama: And it was to these sorts of notions and their like that the British diplomat and others were referring in their lectures at the Royal Institute of International Affairs. [When they pointed out that] for example, al-Qaida spent $500,000 on the event, while America, in the incident and its aftermath, lost - according to the lowest estimate - more than $500 billion.Meaning that every dollar of al-Qaida defeated a million dollars by the permission of Allah, besides the loss of a huge number of jobs.As for the size of the economic deficit, it has reached record astronomical numbers estimated to total more than a trillion dollars.And even more dangerous and bitter for America is that the mujahidin recently forced Bush to resort to emergency funds to continue the fight in Afghanistan and Iraq, which is evidence of the success of the bleed-until-bankruptcy plan - with Allah's permission.It is true that this shows that al-Qaida has gained, but on the other hand, it shows that the Bush administration has also gained, something of which anyone who looks at the size of the contracts acquired by the shady Bush administration-linked mega-corporations, like Halliburton and its kind, will be convinced. And it all shows that the real loser is ... you.Yensid: Did you just call me a loser you crippled cave dweller?Osama: Yes. All Praise is due to Allah.Yensid: Errr... you evil.... ok, OK, next question sir. Have you ever read the book "My pet goat"?Osama: No, but I do own several goats and use them frequently.Yensid: Let's not go there. Anything else?Osama: Let me say one more time. All Praise is due to Allah. I do appreciate the book because it brought us great rewards. Because it seemed to him (Bush) that occupying himself by talking to the little girl about the goat on 9/11 and its butting was more important than occupying himself with the planes and their butting of the skyscrapers, we were given three times the period required to execute the operations - all praise is due to Allah.Yensid: I really wish you would stop saying that. We get it.Yensid: Can we wrap this up? I assume you haven't taken a shower is a few years and I am about done with this stench. Please give us your final words so we can close this show down. Osama: As has been said: "An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure."And know that: "It is better to return to the truth than persist in error." And that the wise man doesn't squander his security, wealth and children for the sake of the liar in the White House.In conclusion, I tell you in truth, that your security is not in the hands of Kerry, nor Bush, nor al-Qaida. No.Your security is in your own hands. And every state that doesn't play with our security has automatically guaranteed its own security.And Allah is our Guardian and Helper, while you have no Guardian or Helper. All peace be upon he who follows the Guidance.Yes. All Praise is due to Allah.Yensid: Grrr... we are OUTTA here! Get me my oxcart because I can't take this guy anymore.www.yensid.org Politics31327@blogcritics.org Mon, 20 Jun 2005 14:04:40 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/06/17/102635.php Christopher AumanSo I was sitting around the other day, shooting the breeze with President Bush.We talked about the weather, how his mother is doing and other little tid bits like how he thinks that he (as prez) has a right to know what everyone in America is reading and buying at their local bookstore. I didn't challenge him on the issue because I thought that it might ruin my chances of him picking up the bill for my latte. Plus the House of Reps did their job on that issue anyway. Anywho...After a good 30 minutes of trying to wrap my mind around how he functions on only vanilla flavored lattes for lunch, I finally had to get in his face and ask him the big question. I said, "Mr. President.. dude... What is up with Saudi Arabia"?He looked at me with that look he gives people when he's annoyed, cornered and racking his brain for the best Rove-spin on the subject and he slowly takes a sip on his vanilla latte (extra sugar) and stares for a long moment. Finally he says "They're our friends and a strong ally on the war against terror."I laugh to myself as I remember what our government REALLY thinks. ( Senior Pentagon civilians and members of Vice President Dick Cheney's staff reportedly see Saudi Arabia as an enemy. In fact, some neoconservatives believe that a U.S. invasion of Iraq and the institution of a democratic, pro-U.S. Iraqi government, which would become a major oil exporter to the West, would allow the United States to solve an even greater problem: Saudi support for radical Islamic terrorists. The reduced U.S. dependence on Saudi oil, resulting from the conquest of Iraq, neocons say, would allow the United States to finally stand up to the Saudis on the issue of terrorism. Yet the official position of the Bush administration is at the other end of the spectrum: that the Saudi regime is a friend.) I press him again... "Mr. President... what the HELL is going on with Saudi Arabia"? I mean, we call them friends yet they smack us up side the head with our oil supply on a daily basis and continue to call communist nations like China "friends" before us! Most of the participants from 9/11 were from SAUDI ARABIA! Osama (Dunno-where-he-be) Bin Laden is originally from Saudi Arabia AND now, with this so called "War on Terror" in Iraq, we are continually fighting insurgents that are mostly coming from SAUDI ARABIA!! Oh, and not only that... (he looks away at a young little chippy in a short skirt) there is growing evidence coming from our own government (the Pentagon) that wealthy Saudis are funding these wacko-mojo insurgent kooks!"Mr. President.." I said, "Can you explain why our administration has not and WILL NOT address the fact that Saudi Arabia might be the real threat to our national security and our real concern regarding this so called "War on Terror"? There is even extensive evidence that your administration censored 28 pages of the 9/11 report to cover up suspected Saudi involvement! Mr. President, PLEASE let me know why there are continuous allegations that terrorists are getting help from inside Saudi Arabia and yet, we do nothing about it except continue to call them our ally in this war?Bush looks and me... hands me the check for my latte and danish and mumbles something about global warming and Iran and slowly gets up to flirt with the chippy.I'm just trying to get answers here and all I get is another bill, directly from the president to the average American. I'm a fair guy though, I accept the bill and give him the "zip up your fly" nod. (I want him to have a chance at baggin this babe!) After all, I still believe a president works better and harder for the American people when he's getting a little love on the side. This one needs all the help he can get.Granted, I can see the problems with questioning the Saudis. As Baer states " It wouldn't take much, he argues, for Saudi militants to get hold of potent weapons, cull a small force from the largely disaffected population, and carry out an attack on the country's vital oil infrastructure. Halting the flow of Saudi crude would send world oil prices sky high and, in a worst-case scenario, could lead to regional war and global economic collapse."Sounds pretty bad to me.As I watch the president make feeble attempts at flirting, I ponder the darker side of his mind. Does he really think it's ok to LIE to the American people to slowly gain an American stronghold in the Middle East to ultimately control our precious flow of oil for the future, or is it better to tell us the truth?I'm guessing that the truth (that Saudi Arabia is our real enemy) would be too painful and costly to our American pocketbooks. And that might be the real story and the REAL truth.www.yensid.org Politics31168@blogcritics.org Fri, 17 Jun 2005 10:26:35 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/06/01/092757.php Christopher AumanA leaked British memo, and other documents, make it clear that Bush intended all along to invade Iraq -- and lied about it to the American people.The key line in the leaked memo, (as described by Getler from the Sunday Times Post), is the assessment by British intelligence, after a visit to Washington, that "the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy." That kind of assertion has been made by critics and commentators, but it has not been included in official post-invasion assessments here about how the country went to war under what turned out to be false premises about weapons of mass destruction and other matters.Why has this information not been discussed? My guess is that the people in power are just sitting on this information until after the midterm elections to see if democrats can get control and then the fireworks will begin.The same critics have been unsuccessful in getting an investigation into the misuse of the intelligence and as long as they are in the minority they never will.This isn't the last you'll hear of this is my guess...Read more > The Memo > Letter to Bush > Why we're not talking about this > Politics30417@blogcritics.org Wed, 1 Jun 2005 09:27:57 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/05/31/124409.php Christopher AumanPersonally, I think the Newsweek error was pretty bad. It only furthers the public's distrust of the media. There is no good excuse for printing a story based solely on an anonymous source and no evidence. The error wreaks of a tabloid rag headline, not a respected news source like Newsweek. They have severely crippled their reputation as a credible source from here on out for me and many others over one stupid article/mistake. You just have to wonder how much other information is presented as truth when it is nothing more than wishful thinking or propaganda.The problem though is not this stupid error/action. The problem is the fact that radical Islamic men took to the streets to riot over one stupid article and 17 people were killed. You could criticize Newsweek for being the bad guy or even reckless but who was REALLY the bad guy here? Afghanistan and Pakistan are supposed to be allies of the U.S. and what do we get for our billions spent and American lives lost? We get riots, flag burning, death and more hatred. The "export of democracy is the goal" as president Bush says frequently, but you have to start to wonder if it will ever be possible with such deep, deep hatred for the U.S.If one article can cause death and riots, one must imagine what cost we'll pay for waging war in their lands.http://www.yensid.org Politics30370@blogcritics.org Tue, 31 May 2005 12:44:09 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/04/07/104244.php Christopher AumanDetermining the quality of a CD brand - Quantity vs. QualityLet me first say that this next section is not the final word on CD quality. This information was based entirely on research and Internet reports, not on original experimentation or my own personal scientific testing. The most important thing to come away with after reading this section is to realize that it really doesn't make a difference which brand of CD you choose, it's the maker of the actual CD. There are also several more factors that affect the storage of your data on CD. Those factors include intrinsic properties of the materials used in the disc's construction, its manufactured quality, how well it's recorded and its physical handling and storage. It would be easy to hope that CDs are all the same with the only difference being the price and the packaging. This unfortunately is NOT true. The reasons are unfortunate and it makes our lives difficult when trying to choose a reliable brand but hopefully I can guide you in the right direction. The archival quality of compact disks range from good to utterly horrible and there are several key elements that you need to investigate before buying. Read on...First off, you need to know that the CD brand name is pretty much irrelevant. Most CDs are usually either generic, or generic manufacturers sold under known brand names. Let's get this straight right out of the gate. Brand-names mean nothing. What you need to know is the actual manufacturer name. There are currently only around 12 actual CD manufacturers in the world. So as you browse the isles of your local techie store keep this in mind when you see all the brands available. When you're buying a Sony brand you might be buying the exact same CD that's packaged in a much lower priced brand. I'm not guaranteeing this but it is possible. Also, CD brands will sometimes change manufacturers so you might think that you are buying a reliable manufacturers CD and then next year you find out that they switched manufacturers! Ouch.So the big question you are probably asking is "how do I know who is actually manufactured my CDs"? Very good question and one that I actually have an answer for. As you may have noticed the information is not readily available on your chosen brands packaging because obviously they want you to think that they're producing the product. If it's a good product it will further strengthen their brand name and obviously garner return business from you and others.In the CD manufacturing world there is a standard called an ATIP code. (Absolute Time In Pre-groove) Without this information the CD cannot be used by a writer. The ATIP contains information about the manufacturer, but also technical information that's used by the CD drive to write to the CD correctly. Mission accomplished! Hallelujah! We found it! Well, don't rejoice yet. There's one small catch. See, the information is hidden in the CD data and it can not be shown via your standard CD player or computer. What you need is a special program designed to display this information. A quick search using the phrase "CD-R ATIP reader" will surely give you many options to choose from so you can quickly determine who is the real brains behind your brand. Some of the best manufacturers in the world are Kodak, Mitsui (now called MAM-A), Richo, MPO, Fujifilm, Tayo yuden, Prodisc, and Acer gold. Again, this list is not the word of god and opinions always differ but this list should give you a good start. For current information and discussion you can always visit the resources and forums sections of my web site at http://www.archivingdigital.com.Now to the next big piece of the puzzle, the actual CD materials. Keep in mind that discussing the quality of CD materials is subjective, and that the quality of the CD-R also depends on what speed, and with what drive it's written. That said, there are very important points to keep in mind that will affect the permanence of your CD data. Let's take a look at the separate parts of a CD to determine what's important and what's not.A standard CD structure includes the polycarbonate, the dye, the reflective layer, the protective lacquer layer and sometimes a protective coat. Without getting overly technical and buried in geeky blabber, let me give you a quick overview of the physical CD structure.The Polycarbonate LayerThe polycarbonate's transparency, dimensional stability, impact resistance, and freedom from impurities makes it an ideal base for both CD-ROM and CD-R discs. This layer is the basic foundation on which all other layers are built. The polycarbonate is also what holds the stamped shallow groove called the wobbled pre-groove. The pre-groove provides tracking and timing information (The ATIP code mentioned earlier) for the recording laser in a continuous spiral. It ensures that data is recorded at a constant rate. The polycarbonate layer has little to do with the archival quality of the CD.The Dye LayerAll CDs contain a photosensitive dye layer where your data is stored. This is the area that gets "burned" (as they say) when you store information on your CD. As far as archival CD quality, the dye is very important in properly storing your information. The first factor that affects the quality of the dye layer is responsiveness to the writing laser, so cleaner, better defined pits are created. Cleaner pits means fewer errors and more accurate data.The estimated life-span of the dye is very important since we are concerned about archiving our photos and there are two factors that we need to consider when choosing. First, the sensitivity to light (sunshine, ultraviolet, incandescent, and fluorescent light) is important because this will cause the dye to breakdown and become useless. The second issue that we need to consider is the accuracy of the data write by the dye.Phthalocyanine Dye is currently considered to be the best dye on the market for light sensitivity. Other dyes are Metal AZO and Cyanine. Cyanine and AZO being the next best in line after Phthalocyanine due to the dyes ability to be less sensitive to light. Other factors that directly affect the dye layer are high heat, water and high humidity. So an obvious first step to properly archiving your important memories is to keep your CDs safe from sunlight and humidity and store them in a light tight case, closet or safe.Now, one good question is "how do I know what type of dye is used on my CD"? Well, this time around it's fairly complicated again and I think I have it figured out but things are always changing so who knows! From my research I've determined that Cyanine based CDs are usually green, AZO are blue unless matched with a gold reflective layer which appear greenish, and Phthalocyanine is pale green or yellow green when matched with a gold reflective layer. The aqua-hued advanced pthalocyanine is also in use. To complicate this matter further some manufacturers are beginning to add tinted substrates to make discs appear almost any color, even black. The good news is that the color of the CD does not directly affect it's operation since the lasers do not detect color.So to answer this question it's best to contact your desired manufacturer or brand and request the information if it's not clearly posted on their site. The dye is a very important element and choosing the proper dye is essential. As stated earlier phthalocyanine dye is considered to be more light sensitive but I've read that cyanine based dyes are better for storing more accurate data. So in theory if you plan to store your discs in a protective case and in a light tight storage solution then it might be better to go with Cyanine due to the fact that you will have a better initial write of your photo data. So I guess what I am telling you is that officially, the final word is still out. For more discussion, advice and news on this subject please view the forums at archivingdigital.com and strike up a discussion.The Reflective LayerAfter the dye process the CD is then baked to remove any residual solvents and the edges are "washed" to remove any dye along the outside edge of the disk. The CD is now ready for the reflective layer. The reflective layer is the area of the CD that reflects the laser as it moves over the disk. The light reflected is sensed by the laser and transmitted into information that ultimately creates your data, photos or music.The change in light intensity changes every time the laser goes over a pit into the land area and vise-versa. The reflective material is made up of either silver, gold/silver alloy or pure gold. Gold/silver alloy is recommended for the most cost efficient and stable choice but if you have deeper pockets always choose pure gold archival CDs whenever possible to achieve the maximum archival ability. According to Kodak, tests have shown Kodak CD-R Gold Ultima, which uses a pure gold reflective layer, to have a life expectancy of 200 years. Other Kodak media using gold and silver alloys have demonstrated archival capabilities of 100+ years. This not a product endorsement because it's just an example and information based on the best possible life expectancy for these disks. You can take that for what its worth.The most important thing to come away with knowing is that gold disks, although they will cost you much more, have shown greater permanence in many tests and are the highly recommended solution for users such as ourselves that are interested in maximum archival time. Silver corrodes through reaction with sulfur dioxide, an environmental pollutant that can migrate through the disc with moisture causing the disc to reduce the reflection of the laser and resulting in the data becoming unreadable. Therefore, silver is a good solution but for longer term storage, it's not the best choice for obvious reasons. Gold is obviously the best choice but is traditionally more expensive. For our purpose here I would recommend buying nothing but discs manufactured with gold reflective layers and ensuring that you have taken that extra step to preserve your data. You won't even miss that extra $1.00 five years from now when those discs read like a charm. The protective lacquer layerThe lacquer layer is one of the final manufacturing stages of the CD. Once the CD has been stamped, dye coated, baked, and coated with a reflective layer it's ready to be protected. The CD is coated with a layer of thin lacquer and cured under ultra violet light to produce an extremely hard coating. Although some manufacturers provide different levels of protection and coatings, the lacquer layer does little to affect the overall archival quality of the media if treated properly. I would assume that most of us will not be handling our archived CDs on a daily basis so scratch protection is of little importance. It is helpful to know that it is there though. The lacquer layer can be subjected to various degrees of scratching and abuse and the underlying data will still remain readable. To ensure maximum life, your CDs should be handled with care. As an extra precaution some manufacturers provide an extra protective top coating that will ensure extra protection against the unknown. Keep this in mind when making your final decision between your manufacturers.For those of you like myself that are accident prone, here are some suggestions for properly handling your CDs:Always handle the CDs by the edge or center and avoid touching the non-printed side of the CD. This will minimize contact with the protective layer and subjecting it to scratches.Never use a ball-point pen to label a CD. The recording dye layer is very close to the labeling surface. The pressure from a ball-point pen can damage this layer or over time the ink from the dye might bleed into the CD causing data corruption. Try using an archival quality felt tip pen to label the CD. (A non solvent-based felt-tip permanent marker) Recommended pens can be found with several good archival material companies.Store the CD in a archival protective case away from heat and direct sun light.Obviously, avoid bending or flexing the CD in any way. They are durable but they are not indestructible.If the CD must be cleaned use CD/DVD cleaning detergent, isopropyl alcohol or methanol but a lot of time cleaning can do more harm than good. If a CD has become scratched try buffing the area lightly with a very soft cloth until the area is buffed out. Purchase of a good camera lens cleaning kit might be a good solution. Then use an absorbent cloth to blot it dry and avoid excessive rubbing. Never use chemical solvents to clean the CD even if they are provided in a lens cleaning kit.Finally, remove light dust and dirt by brushing from the center out. Never wipe in a circular pattern! As I stated earlier though you should not have to worry about this if you write data to your disk and store it away. Hence the term "archiving".Next Post: We'll discuss buying a burner and how to and where to store your CDs Culture27865@blogcritics.org Thu, 7 Apr 2005 10:42:44 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/03/30/105937.php Christopher AumanA quick history of the compact diskThe history of the CD (Compact Disk) goes all the way back to 1841 when Augustin-Louis Cauchy proposed his sampling theorem and then a year later when Charles Babbage proposed an analytical engine for performing and storing calculations that formed the basis of of the compact disk idea. Eventually in 1877 Thomas Edison would invent the phonograph while trying to invent a device to record telegraphic signals. This invention turned the world on it's ear with recorded music.Jump ahead to 1943 when the U.S. Army invents and powers up the world's first computer at the University of Pennsylvania and a few years after that to the invention of the first magnetic tape recorders. They hit the market head on, allowing consumers to record their own voices and music. 1958 welcomed the invention of the laser which is an important part of the compact disk technology and in 1971 Intel introduces it's first microprocessor putting the final piece in place to make CD technology a reality. By 1977 Mitsubishi, Sony and Hitachi display prototypes for digital audio disks at the Tokyo Audio Fair.The CD entered the mainstream world in the form of the Video Laser Disk "read only" systems. The VideoDisk was a superior product to VHS but failed to catch on with commercial success. Probably due to price and size. The main difference between a VideoDisk and a CD or DVD is obviously size and the fact that the VideoDisk used an analog format for storing data. CD and DVD introduced the high quality digital format that would soon change the world of storage and presentation of music, images and video.Eventually in 1982 the Compact Disk is introduced by Sony and Phillips in Europe and to The United States in 1983 where CD-ROM prototypes were shown to the public. The first CD player by Sony was called the CD-101 and the first compact disk released was officially documented as Billy Joel's 52nd Street. That same year 30,000 players were sold along with 800,000 CD's due mostly to the CD's ability to produce a very high quality stereo audio signal with very little noise. This coupled with the durability of the CD made it a "must have" for audio-techo-geeks everywhere. As CD players become more widespread, people found the need to have CD players with them at all times and car CD players were introduced in 1984. Soon after that in 1985 we saw the introduction of the CD changer which allowed people to store and access multiple CDs via a carousel. In 1988 the recordable CD was introduced to the world which would eventually bring the CD into the mainstream with consumers.In 1990 stats showed that 28% of U.S. Households had CD's, 9.2 million players were sold annually along with 288 million CD's in the U.S. alone. That number has surely increased and continues to grow to this day. One of the main reasons that CD's have stood the test of time and have become so successful is due to the set of standards developed and accepted by the industry. These agreed-upon formats were published in a set of colored-cover books, becoming commonly known by their de facto names as the colored-book standards. Today there are many formats available for various applications such as computer data storage (CD-ROM), imaging (PhotoCD), interactive multimedia (CDi), multi-session data and audio (mixed mode 1 & 2), with the most common of these being the digital audio (DA) format for music.Today the main problem with the compact disk is the fact that it's storage limitations of around 650 megabytes is becoming increasingly limited and dated. The need to store large amounts of video, complex video games and of course digital photography are becoming widespread and even though 650 megs is nothing to laugh at yet, DVD (Digital Video Disk) is slowing becoming a more mainstream and affordable media as CD did in the 80's and 90's. DVD's now offer up to 12 times the storage capacity. At this point I am definitely not discounting CD's as a great storage solution as you will see but they do have their limitations. Please read on for my thoughts regarding why I believe that CDs are a quality choice for your archival solution.Next - How a CD works and more!View more on this subject at ArchivingDigital.com Culture27471@blogcritics.org Wed, 30 Mar 2005 10:59:37 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/03/26/102437.php Christopher AumanGetting down to the business of building websites with CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) is something that I've been playing with for years. Until lately I've only toyed with the process because I didn't want to deal with the hassle of making sure that my clients wouldn't have a problem viewing the site. The last thing I wanted to do is spend time building out a site, just to realize that my web illiterate client was still using Netscape 3.0 and was unable to view the site. The client would then conclude that I have no idea how to build a website and it would end up doing more harm than good and probably causing me to spend 10 times more time dealing with the clients project.That said, the time has officially come for everyone to take the CSS leap. CSS will soon be the standard as the old school HTML code and processes are slowly phased out. CSS is strongly supported in most recently released browsers and the true reasons for using CSS have finally been realized. (Reduced code, greater control of your design and code, etc.)I started out my latest journey back into the world of CSS with Sitepoints great book HTML Utopia: Designing Without Tables Using CSS. I found it to be a good intro to CSS and the process of building sites without the massive and complicated code needed when coding and developing websites with HTML tables. I found it equally good as an ongoing reference due to the fact that 1/3 of the book is just simple documentation of CSS tags and what they're used for.Sitepoints latest offering is an equally good book. It's not one that I would recommend as a beginner book though. The sole purpose of this offering is for the user to refer to this book as a reference. I actually took the time to read a good portion of the book but I wouldn't suggest this method. Once you have a firm understanding of CSS and have done some actual CSS coding, this book (combined with other good basic references) will act as an ongoing crutch when you need help or inspiration. Simply reading through the table of contents and file away the information for future reference and time saving techniques. Then when you get stuck or have time to implement a new trick based on the nine broad categories of the book you can just pull out the book and follow the step by step instructions. Better yet, the book has a downloadable code archive that you can keep on hand, modify the code to your liking and use when needed.The book covers such CSS categories as Text styling, positioning images, navigation tricks, dealing with tabular data, building forms and user interfaces, and experimentation and future techniques among many other things.I would recommend this book highly to web designers and developers interested in picking up a great reference to keep on hand for ongoing reference. I know it will be sitting next to my desk along with my other Sitepoint books for a long time.While you're at it check out the Sitepoint website too. It's a great reference for learning and support for beginner or advanced developers. It's Highly recommended and I go there daily. Enjoy!For more information about my development company visit our site here!View more interesting rants, reviews and information at my personal site here! Books27295@blogcritics.org Sat, 26 Mar 2005 10:24:37 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/03/25/074144.php Christopher AumanWell, I guess I may have just put this solution to rest without typing more than one sentence in my title but I know some of you reading this may be curious as to why I'm calling you crazy, insane and loony. Ok, I have a few more choice words too but let's get on to the scoop regarding saving your images on your internal hard drive.The problems that surround storing information on your computer are pretty simple, they're vulnerable to almost all of the offending problems that we face when trying to store digital media. Those problems include: permanence, reliability, portability, the ability to duplicate, system software malfunctions, external factors like electrical surges, fires, children, file eating viruses and your computer illiterate spouse just to name a few. With one quick power-surge from a thunderstorm your hard drive could be toast. With one flick of the delete button your files could be trashed. With one small malfunction, your hard drive could simply just die. There have even been extreme cases where computers burst into flame because they become over heated!Even from this short list my message should be clear that your hard drive is meant for temporary storage only. It's very simple -- Never, ever, ever leave your precious memories and creations on your hard drive for more than a few days without backing them up in some way. As in real life, death may just be around the corner. We all will probably live to see another day and it's a good bet that our computers will too but eventually the day will come for all of us when our computer dies. It's only common sense to go beyond storing your images on your local hard drive.As I stated earlier, I was once among the trusting. I believed in technology. I thought that I would be safe from catastrophe and eventually my day came. I woke up one day and my hard drive was clicking and I couldn't start up my computer! I tried almost everything for two days until I reluctantly admitted defeat and took my computer in for service. Imagine yourself getting the news that your hard drive was fried, your images were lost and the only remote possibility was to find a duplicate working hard drive for parts. To date, they have been unable to locate a replacement and it's pretty safe to say that my images are gone unless I want to spend a bunch of money with another recovery company. This is my whole purpose for writing this series. To save you from my disappointment, anger and loss. If you save your images to your hard drive I am sad to say that your day will come. The day that your son or daughters first birthday images or that image that a client wants to pay $5000 for is just gone. Gone because you had faith in computer technology. Gone because you were too busy, too cheap, or just simply too lazy to back up your files somewhere other than your local hard drive.Now, don't get me wrong I don't have any problem with your hard drive being a part of your back up plan. I use my hard drive as my first source for storing my images but I duplicate those files on a daily basis. I hardly ever go a day without duplicating all of my new images to some sort of back-up solution. Just remember to properly protect your computer by performing regular maintenance and by trying to stop attacks and disasters before they happen. Below you will find a quick list of things that you should do on a regular basis to protect your hard drive.Back up your files, scan your hard disk, create an emergency start-up disk, de-fragment your hard drive, check for viruses by installing reliable virus software, Keep your virus definitions updated, manage your hard drive space, clean the exterior of your computer and the surrounding area, work in an uncluttered space, Keep food and drink away from your computer, protect your computer from power surges by using surge protectors and unplugging your computer during storms and use an uninterruptible power supply if possible.If you're not familiar with some of the items mentioned above please do yourself a favor and do some research. In-depth coverage of these issues are beyond the scope of this series but they're an equally important aspect of your back up strategy. A simple web search will give you more information than you could ever want, so spend the time and educate yourself. Especially if you plan on using your main computer hard drive for storage. Items like scanning for viruses are incredibly important because they can easily spread to connected devices, disable the drive and delete files. If you plan on using an external hard drive to back up your files and it's connected to your main computer or on a network that's connected to the internet, all of your files could be contaminated or erased by an invading virus. So do some research on virus software because it's vitally important. Some good software packages to check out are Norton Antivirus, Virex, McAfee, and Avast.To sum up, If you learn anything from reading or even skimming these articles, get with the program now and take my advice, NEVER rely on your hard drive as your only backup solution. Your first big lesson is to learn that you must be crazy if you store your images on your hard drive. For more on preserving digital photography visit ArchivingDigital.com Culture27252@blogcritics.org Fri, 25 Mar 2005 07:41:44 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/03/17/103838.php Christopher AumanSo, finally we come to the question we have all come together to solve. The big million dollar question... "what are my options for storing my digital photography?" Well, the answer has its good and bad points and I'll attempt so answer them in depth without taking up too much of your valuable free time. I know we all would rather be outside shooting pictures than reading technical jargon about what we love to do so as usual, I'll try to keep it short and sweet whenever possible.The goal of this series isn't to delve into every possible option available, but to focus on the most popular and reliable options and to point out the faults that some of these popular options don't usually like to spell out in their manuals.First, the good side is that thankfully there are many, many options. Some are good and some are really poor and the options are improving on a daily basis. The options range from storing your photos right on your computer hard drive to storing them in a fireproof facility somewhere across the country or around the world. Your chosen media might be as familiar as CD (compact disc) and DVD (digital video disc) or removable cartridges, tapes, optical storage, internal or external hard drives and even remote storage locations. This list describes some of the most popular solutions and actually it only touches the surface.Now, before we actually start investigating actual storage media options, lets start our exploration with a more immediate question... "How do I know my media will stand the test of time?" I really hate to keep delaying the discussion of the actual storage options but to make the best choice we need to fully understand all the important elements that make up a good storage solution. Hang with me and hopefully we'll all learn something.How do I know that my media will stand the test of time?This is the million dollar question. The big kahunah. How do we know that our storage media will stand the test of time? Well, the quick answer is that "we don't". That's the question that plagues us because there's no perfect solution yet. If there was, you wouldn't be reading this in the first place. In the past you could store your negatives in acid-free sleeves, shove them in a dark place, in low humidity storage or a bank vault and you could be pretty certain that when you went back 20 years later your negatives would be preserved and ready to make new prints.Today, we're not certain that our digital photos will even last a year or two on todays media. Heck, they might not even make it through the transfer if we're not careful. For this reason alone, I want to try and provide reasonably sound advice on archiving your digital photos. This series and the advice contained within is to be used as a guide and not the end all answer to photo archival solutions. There simply isn't a perfect solution yet. Hopefully by reading through the next few chapters you'll have a pretty solid understanding of your options, their advantages and their limitations. Most importantly, I'd like to offer advice and draw on my personal experiences so you can use this information as a starting point to make your own decisions and to find out what works for you. Once you've gained a firm understanding regarding your options you'll be much better off when you decide on your back-up, archiving and storage solution. Plus, you'll know what works best within your schedule, budget and personal needs.Choosing the best media - What do I look for?As I stated before, "the verdict is still out" on storage media. There is no perfect solution or ultimate answer because things are always changing. There are some things we should definitely consider when looking at storage solutions though. Actually, there are five main elements that we'll consider when evaluating our storage options as we go forward - Data permanence, price, capacity, performance and portability.Obviously the first thing that we're going to be concerned about is how long the media is supposed to last. (Data permanence) Most media companies will provide basic information based on excellerated environmental testing that's supposed to simulate the aging process. It's important to note that this information is not guaranteed. In fact it is normally a best case result and should not be considered fact. For example a company might say that their CD's will last for over 25 years. What does that mean? Is that CD stored in a refrigerator in the dark or next to a window in an office? Can I transport the CD on a regular basis and expect those results? Can I use it on a daily basis and still experience the same life span? What if I store that CD in an attic vs. in my basement? Will that affect the life span? The key is in the wording and I'm guessing that most manufacturers use the words "can last" instead of "will last". The storage media surely does have the potential to last the maximum amount of time, but will it in reality? Probably not.As you'll see there are many factors that might affect the data permanence of storage media so the best thing to do is use the information I am providing as a starting point and then continue to monitor good websites and continue to do your own research and testing. The data permanence information provided by the media manufacturer is a good gauge to determine if the media is decent or really bad but that is about it. The information regarding data permanence will always be changing and companies will always be improving every year so keep up with the current best practices and leading companies because they are not all created equal.The next issue that we will face is how much money this will cost us as we go forward. (Price) As with many other elements of photography price is a deciding factor. Do I want the 50mm 1.8 lens or should I spend the extra 200 bucks and go for the 1.4? The 1.8 will do an adequate job but would it be better for me to just fork out the extra dough and do it right the first time? The same questions will face you when determining your archival solution and my answer is always "spend the money". When you are confronted with the choice of spending a few extra dollars to preserve your work and your memories, spend it. Spend the money every time if it gives you even the slightest edge in reliability, performance and piece of mind. There is nothing worse than realizing that you made a decision to save an extra buck or two and it ended up costing you everything.The amount of storage space you have to work with is another very important factor. (Capacity) A few years ago we had zip disks that stored 100 megs and one gig hard drives and that seemed like a lot of space. Today we have high capacity DVD's that can store up to 9.4 gigs and hard drives that can store hundreds of gigs and even Terabytes. (1000 gigs) In the near future PC's will probably have 200 terabyte hard drives and who knows what the next big thing will be in portable storage. To put that in perspective though the entire contents of The United States Library of Congress will fit on about 20 terabytes and 200 terabytes could easily store the entire collected knowledge of the human race with room to spare. Obviously this is not photographic or video data which would eat that up pretty quickly but you get the idea. Storage capacity is growing on a daily basis and getting cheaper by the minute. We're not going to be as concerned about storage space in the near future as we are now. We'll just need it to be reliable and fit our needs. Can I get by with a CD that holds 650 megs? It's affordable, easy to duplicate, small enough to store in my office and easy to transport or do I need the terabyte hard drive? The big question though even if you have the money to buy the latest and greatest is "do I trust it"? These are the questions we need to ask ourselves. (And we will going forward)The next issue to deal with is how fast can I access my media. (Performance) When talking storage media and performance you are talking about how fast you can write and read your data. This will be an ongoing problem in the future as we get more and more used to faster media and hardware. When we go back to retrieve our images in 10 years, that 30 seconds it might take to actually pull a large file off of a CD might seem like years so I would keep this concern in the back of your mind.As you store your data on your chosen media and as you upgrade and move your data to new storage solutions in the future you'll be very concerned about how long that might take you. An example of my concern would be someone that has 200 32x CDs, chock full of images. In the future you might decide that the time has come to move your information to a new storage technology for increased reliability and space. You'll be required to insert all 200 CDs individually and copy the information to the new media. Depending on your lifestyle that could take days, weeks or a month or more. Let's say you chose to back-up your photos to 9.4 gig DVDs. You are basically looking at transferring 160,000 megs of information so that would mean that you will have a total of about 18-20 DVD's -- a far less daunting task for sure. Now, I am definitely not saying that DVD's are my perfect solution. I'm just giving this as an example as something that you may consider. Personally, my time and dealing with all those CD's would be worth it if my data fully survives until I am ready to transfer it to the next big thing. I would gladly take a hundred hours and say "thank-you, mission accomplished". Time is our enemy though and we never seem to have enough of it so I am willing to bet it will be an integral part and an ongoing concern regarding your back up strategy. What? You didn't actually think that archiving your images meant you will keep your files on CD forever did you? Upgrading to new media over time will be an integral part of the archival process and one that we will also address as we go forward.The next piece of the performance puzzle is how sturdy your media is. (Durability) We'll discuss this more in future posts but consider whether you will be transporting your media on a regular basis. Maybe you're going to be accessing your back-ups on a regular basis and copying files? Will they stand the constant use or exposure to the outside world? Where you live will surely be a factor due to environmental concerns, etc. Concerning yourself with all these questions are important and they really are questions that people often overlook.The final element that we need to consider is how easy it is to take your images from one location to the next. (Portability) Should I store all my information on 5 external hard drives that sit on my desk in my office or should I continue to back up those hard drives to CD so I can store a duplicate copy off site? Maybe I have one hard drive at home and I just duplicate it and stick it in a fire-proof safe in my bedroom. It would be tough to transport 5 external hard drives back and forth but would the strategy be more sound and overall more safe? Probably, but that would be a question for you to consider as we go forward.As mentioned above, while discussing portability you'll also have to consider the overall stability of the media that you choose. Is the media sensitive to light, bumps and bangs, electricity, radiation, etc. You never know what will be waiting for you around the corner so consider the durability of media as you consider portability.In closingAs we go forward we'll be looking at these five media elements to determine Mr. or Mrs. "Right Now" Media Solution. If you don't get the joke, I am referring to finding our perfect "media mate" -- one that will satisfy our needs for the time being or at least until something better comes along. (For those who frequent the bar scene, you might get what I am joking about) We'll discuss the most popular options available today and dissect them so we know how they work, their history, what makes them good or bad, etc. so we'll have intimate knowledge of the inner-workings and what might cause us problems as we try to preserve our photography.In my next post let's dive into the shallow end with one of the most obvious places to archive your photos.... Culture26867@blogcritics.org Thu, 17 Mar 2005 10:38:38 EST