There has got to be a better way to prevent this!

This post is inspired by true events. I just happened to be sitting around and heard a car alarm go off, so I decided that since I had not updated the blog in a while (too long in fact), I should go ahead and write down a post.

This is that post.

I want to come right out and say that car alarms are useless. I realize that they had a time and once served a purpose, however that time has long passed. A car alarm is largely ignored by, well, everyone. Think of the last time you heard one go off. You probably went through one of the following reactions. 1) I hope it’s not mine. 2) I wish that idiot would shut off his alarm. 3) Who bumped what car. I have yet to encounter someone who heard a car alarm go off and went “Holy Crap, I need to call the police right now!”

It is an outdated technology. No one thinks anymore that, if a car alarm is going off and someone is getting into it, that the car is being stolen. No, they think that the driver is a moron who doesn’t know how to shut it off. With technologies like OnStar and all the other automotive Sync and GPS stuff out there, car alarms are a worthless deterrent. Most crooks know how to disable a horn. Heck, even my Dad can do that (mostly because his old Honda was prone to spurts of alarm-sounding at random.) Honking horns just don’t deter crime anymore, it only serves to annoy your neighbors.

It’s also just another potential problem for drivers. How many of us with car alarms scramble with our keys when it goes off. We accidentally hit the button when we mean to do something else with our keychain. It’s more harm that it probably does good, even if on TV crooks appear to run away when an alarm goes off. Instead of making these thugs scramble, your car alarm has problem spent most of it’s time honking for hours upon end because a wind storm bumped it while you were parked in some hotel parking lot, transforming you into the hated guest at some 5-Star establishment.

I’m not saying that an alarm system itself is a bad idea for vehicles. I’m saying that it should not be based on honking and blinking lights. The next generation of security should lock doors, kill electrical components, take pictures, drive the thief to the nearest police station…. you get the drift. Code a stereo to only work on a car if a engine side and dashboard side hex key works. Have windows automatically turn into mirrors or even blackout via an electric pulse when the car is shut off or keyholder becomes a certain distance away to deter thieves from looking into the vehicle. Technology has a lot of potential in the automotive security market so for the love of all that is good please get rid of these awful car alarm honking systems!

Brother Pat’s obituary can be found on the Saint Vincent website. He was a man who was called to service and always responded willingly, knowing that the responsibilities he undertook were for the good of the many, not just for himself. It wasn’t just a religious vow either. I owe everything to Brother Pat’s willingness to serve as the first fire chief of Saint Vincent Arch-abbey and College. He created it. It was his hands, his work, his connections, and his vocation that made the department into something that would exist even after he was gone. His prayers and the labor he put into the department made it into something real.

It was this department that I entered into the Fall of 2004. While I only knew Brother Pat after his time as chief, it was the Fire Department that really became my home at SVC. In fact, the Fire Department was the first thing I noticed when I stepped on the campus. I was very against making the trip out there, but being welcomed by that old brick building changed my opinion instantly. My good friends, my time, my old minivan, all of these are somehow related Brother Pat’s work. Brother (now Father) Joseph Adams and Terry Noel were able to take the reigns of the incredible organization Brother Pat had cultivated. Their leadership helped me to find a niche in the emergency services, to develop my own leadership skills, to find a home within the department, to support and cheer me on in successes, and to laugh with during hardships. I only knew Brother Pat outside of the prime of his life, but his life work touched my own so greatly that I can honestly say I would not be here without him.

So I titled this post “The Rolling Ball” in memory of another one of Brother Pat’s legacies. He was the bowling coach at SVC, a very fitting position for a guy who got the ball rolling on my life. With a lot of things going on in my personal world, it’s nice to stop for a moment and really appreciate just how great of an impact we can have on our futures. Momentum builds, one pin touches another, and pretty soon something truly great can happen. I owe a lot to Brother Pat, I will never forget that, he got me where I am today and because of him I know I still have miles to go.

Rest in peace Brother, you will be truly missed yet always deeply appreciated.

Yes, I really was on C-Span

It’s no secret that I have always had a thing for Politics. So much so that my BA is in Political Science. I’ve been a Democrat and a Republican, all the while enjoying the thrill of the political process. The picture is a screencap of myself speaking in favor of President George W. Bush’s speaking at our College’s graduation. My speech weighed both the pro and con side and came out saying that what’s really tearing us apart is our willingness to grasp on to drama and ignore the community ties that bind our small little campus. I thought it was a good speech, I wound up getting to meet President Bush when he came, and I can officially say I’ve been on C-Span… how cool is that?

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Anyway, back to Politics, I’m helping out a family friend who is running for the 199th PA Legislative Seat. Fred Baldwin is a good guy who has a Conservative-Democratic philosophy I can easily buy into, so I’m happy to help him out. He’s making the run as the Democratic nominee in an area that is known for voting Republican, so his campaign won’t exactly be an easy one. Still, I’m happy to be on board at a close community level trying to get a good leader elected.

I’ve helped out on campaigns before, sealing letters and making phone calls, but never have I ever canvassed a neighborhood. I should say never until this evening, when I was given a chance to go door-to-door in one of our more Republican neighborhoods on behalf of Fred Baldwin. It’s a very difficult thing to do- cold calls during the evening hours to people who more than likely aren’t going to support your candidate based on ideological principles. Still, it was a great experience and some regular “Rs” still indicated they’d give Baldwin their support based on his excellent record on the Carlisle Area School District’s board.

I would like to just briefly comment on canvassing though. A few months back, Carlisle was hit by a nasty hailstorm that did a significant amount of property and auto damage. I suppose you’re wondering what this has to do with a political campaign, but the two results are quite similar. While I was canvassing, a white vehicle passed me twice, then eventually pulled over and motioned me over. Thinking this was probably a lost individual (and the car had an ad on the side of it), I walked over. The friendly gentleman asked me if I was having any luck. I told him my mixed results, he said he was having a similar experience. What shocked me was his next line. He asked what company I represented… thinking that I was doing roof-repair solicitations. He explained that they’ve been regularly going door-to-door trying to get business (where there is plenty of insurance money to be had). After a brief conversation about going door-to-door, we parted ways. Still, several individuals supporting Baldwin explained that they did not want yardsigns for the simple fact that roofers had littered their lawns with their own ads as part of a cost-reduction scheme. I can’t help but wonder if sign-fatigue will play a role in the upcoming elections.

Still, I had an interesting (albeit hot) time canvassing my old neighborhood. I can’t say it’s my ideal job, but it’s nice to get out and see the people whom you are trying to motivate to vote November 2nd.

Totally not my gym

Being a Nerd can also mean being overweight, forming terrible exercise and eating habits, and becoming incredibly depressed about how you appear on the outside. I am a victim of all three circumstances. Thankfully, a good bit of my nerd-friends from Reddit are fed up too. We’re all focused on the 90daysgoal.com plan. Simply put, we are going to motivate each-other and provide resources to help lose weight and get in shape.

For my part, I’ve set the following goals. I want to drop to a healthy weight of approximately 200-210 in a year. Approximately 1 lb a week, my calorie intake should be 2700/day. As for exercise, my goals for the first week is to do 1 mile monday-friday (running, walking, or jogging) and some light callisthenics M-W-F. I also want to track my food and develop better eating habits. Within 4 weeks, I want my exercise regiment to be at a health run 2 miles, bench press, and crunch each day monday-friday, with saturday and sunday as rest days.

Therefore, my 90 day goal is just to develop healthy habits. I don’t expect to see a change in my body, I expect to see a change in my habits. It’ll be accomplished a variety of different ways using a lot of different technologies. I have calorie-counter installed on my phone, so if you see me scanning a barcode that is why. I want to be healthy, I don’t necessarily care about what I look like right now, I just fear being one of those people with terrible habits.

So that is my 90 day goal, to be working towards a longer goal. It’s nothing special, but it’s a start! I wish all my fellow nerds the best, I know I’ve already taken my first steps!

I just thought I would share Kristi’s awesome reaction to reading an exerpt from Eric Schlosser’s Fast Food Nation. Simply put, it was priceless!

It might not be what you would expect, but it's a diploma

Thanks to my friend Arkadiuz Empel, I finally have my MA in Cultural Studies (specialization- TransAtlantic Studies). It’s a niftly little packet that I’m actually pretty happy Poland provides. Alright, so I’ve been unfairly critical of some of Poland’s processes before, but I gotta say this diploma packet is nifty.

First, the packet contains a nice supplement explaining education standards (which doubles as an official transcript.) It’s in both Polish and English. I also have 3 copies (one in English, two in Polish) of the Diploma insert that are typed out. Then there is the actual diploma, this small little booklet (which I feel I should flash around an introduce myself as “Nathan Harig, Master” in a James-Bond style motion) is handwritten with the college seal stamped into it. While I hate that my picture is on it, it’s nice size will make it easy to display. The “with honors” insert isn’t much to look at, but it’s nice that it’s there.

I also ordered the Latin version of the Diploma. Lord knows when I’ll actually get that, but this will be the “hangup diploma.” This decorative diploma will be more of a office-wall thing, while the smaller version is for records and maybe a little thing to put in a living room or bedroom. I think I may frame one of the diploma copies for the office I”m in now, not sure about that yet. Interestingly, the English-translated diploma copy lists my degree name as the Polish name (magistra). I don’t think this’ll be an issue.

I also have to comment on the process I went to get this diploma. It takes about a month until you get the diploma itself all printed and signed. Unfortunately, I was only going to be in Poland for about a week to defend my thesis and complete the program. Therefore I needed to rely on a friend (which I had to sign my diploma over to) to get it to me. Luckily Arkadiuz’s schedule lined up with this general timeline. The unfortunate part was that Arkadiuz lived in Canada. So my Diploma made the trip from Poland to Canada, then Canada to America, crossing three countries to get to me. It’s worth it though, it’s great to finally have it in hand, and I’m happy to officially and undeniably have a Master’s Degree “With Honors.”

Palcsey, Myself, and Kristi a the Steelers/Packers game in 2010

Thank God it’s almost football season! Training camps are underway and I am already getting psyched for the upcoming year. So psyched that I’ve even loaded and played the various NFL theme songs (CBS, Fox, and Monday Night Football) onto my iPod touch. Football is my favorite sport, I followed it even when I was overseas in Poland, and this year I have a high definition TV, Xfinity digital preferred HD package, and even NFL RedZone to enjoy it as well (BONUS- I have a girlfriend who loves football and will watch it with me!)

That being said, I’m a little worried about the upcoming season too. I haven’t heard too many good things about my Steelers. They are my team, I’ve got the Batch and the Polomalu jersey out and washed, and I’m looking forward to donning it for the first preseason game. Still, it’s a little worrisome starting the first quarter of the season without your regular QB. We’ve unloaded a lot of players in the offseason too. While I believe in my Steelers and look forward to some great games, it’s not exactly going to be an easy path to victory.

I’m also picking the Jets this year as my second team of interest. With my sister, her fiance, my mother, father, deputy chief, and other friends following the Jets, it’s easy to keep up on their team. It sounds solid, like they’ve crafted a group of true teammates. I plan on following them too, rooting them on through the season (until December 19th, when it’s Steeler time baby!). Last year I was rooting for the Vikings secretly since Kristi is such a huge Favre fan. This year I don’t think I’m going to have that option.

I don’t think number 4 is going to play based on the most recent news. They’re doing an awfully lot of begging, but I think he just might be too injured to play. That or he’ll be off for a good chunk of the season. If he plays I’ll secretly support him again, especially because it’s awesome seeing Kristi root him on. I’m not too optimistic though… but this is almost football season- a game where miracles happen often.

The now-famous skull

Ok, the title might be a little over the top, but I really have to share my apparently useful contributions to the open source community. I believe in the whole open-source revolution, I like providing my media for use by anyone and I especially love when I find someone else who has provided something useful for me. I don’t expect royalties and I really don’t even care if credit is given to me. I just want to make some meaningful contributions, that’s about it.

So it came as a bit of a shocker to me then that my contributions have become so popular. In particular, photographs I took of Gibraltar are used by quite a variety of different sources. The most frequent one I seem to come across is in Wikimedia. This is awesome, I love seeing my stuff matched up with historical facts and becoming an education tool at the same time. Pictures I took of the Fire Brigade, some of the old barracks, historical markers, and even some of the apes are all around for the community at large to use. If you’d like to check out my pics of Gibraltar, please visit my Picasa page here .

Viewing that album you’ll come across a picture near the end that is of a skull in stone. I don’t particularly remember what it all was about, but I thought the picture was cool and I snapped it. Little did I know this one picture would represent my international journalism debut. Germany’s “News4Kids” featured my image (and even credited me with the photo) as part of their articles on a new type of Neanderthal found in some foreign land. The picture is entirely unrelated to the article, but I’m guessing the needed a cool picture of a skull and mine fit their bill. You can view the News4Kids website here.

I love it, I’m really glad that my photos are going to good use. I am just a little worried at how I stumbled upon these images. Inspired by the book I’m reading (What Would Google Do?) I’ve been optimizing both this and my company’s website to take control of my own digital image. As part, I regularly Google myself to ensure that what I want to be seen is seen. Today I thought I’d do an image search and see what comes up. Sadly, there are no pictures of me in the top results (or anywhere I can find, period). The skull is the second image, which prompted me to check it out. Later on you see my photos that others have contributed to Wikimedia. I’m thankful to have made such a contribution, I just wish I appeared higher ranked than a skull’s picture I took.

Either way, I hope I can continue to contribute good stuff to the open-source community. Gibraltar is an awesome place, full of great memories and great pictures. I want everyone to be able to experience it the same memorable way I did. Linking my pictures with useful facts locals know can help to enhance a tourists trip. That’s a benefit of open collaboration and I am all for that!

FortyWeb was built on Google’s platform. Similarly, I want to expand and create a new platform for prehospital medicine. Imagine for a second a call from start to finish with one common platform for everything. Dispatch, pre-arrival information, demographics, vital signs, narrative, hospital notification and transfer of data to an ER, billing, etc. All on a common web-based system, each incident being populated with the same data, updated with the same data, with auto-save and roll-back features like Google Docs. A Philips MRx monitor would communicate through an API to update vitals, you would be reading what the dispatch center had from the iPad where you’d track statistics, mileage, and other patient info. What you update would be sent to the ER, along with a notification to the patient’s emergency contact through a system like “The Invisible Bracelet.” It’s all very doable, it just takes the right engineers to get together in a room. Charts would be stored to your email login (FortyWeb for everything). Once completed, the billing company would simply log in and print off the completed billable charts. Everything would be simple, integrated, and streamlined.

Right now though, real technical innovators in EMS are overwhelmed by the drive to create a single product that communicates with only one network. EMS tech is a fragmented system right now with no one common platform to share through everything. Perhaps it’s related to concerns for patient privacy, but for some reason the current field is not united. Imagine the growth potential for companies that could put their products onto a common system. No transfer stations, extra software, special computers, or anything like that. Let the tech speak for itself on one common platform. Streamline information sharing, help save lives, slow down useless bottlenecks, and most of all reduce the complexity that is currently required for an ambulance service to keep up with technology.

This dream reduces the costs associated with EMS, passing savings onto patients and health insurers, but it has to be openly accessible and easy to afford. It has to be built on something similar to the Google Apps Suite, and it needs to be created soon. I’ll happily contribute to this goal and share my vision with interested individuals, but my programming skills just aren’t strong enough.

The redesign was a snap, what was difficult was trying to find out how the heck to best manage a renaming of the blog website. A little background. To play around with WordPress for Cumberland Goodwill, I mistakenly installed it in a subdirectory named “test.” Now I really didn’t want people visiting /test to see our site, and I already have the main root’s index acting as a redirect to the current subdomain-buried site, so coming up with a workaround was a bit of a challenge. Here are problems I encountered.

Everyone likes to mention a .htaccess file, unfortunately I couldn’t find one. I fought for a good hour unhiding files on both my mac, various ftp clients, and what have you until I said screw it. My original plan was just to move it to the root directory, it became quite clear that I was too chicken to do that without being able to see my .htaccess file. Instead I opted to go with a folder rename. I simply updated the location names under general settings from /test to /40, which was a more acceptable subdomain. After that, in my FTP Client Transmission, I renamed the test folder to 40 to match what I had instructed wordpress to do.

That worked, sort of. It got me back to a functional blog with all my themes, plugins, yadda yadda. Unfortunately, a lot of linked items that pointed to /test still existed. Searching around on the web I found that there is an awesome plugin, search-and-replace, that can completely fix all links after a migration. Heres how it works. The terms you want replaced go in the first text-entry field, followed by the terms you want to replace them with. In my case, I wanted to replace /test/ with /40/, fixing all broken links in the process. I selected all of the dialog boxes, let the plugin do it’s magic, and then I had a completely functioning site once more. I updated the site redirect so that the main page forwards to the blog. I know it’s not best practices, I’d love to have it under root, but finding a good, quality transition guide for WordPress 3.0 that makes no mention of a critical “.htaccess file” is darn hard. I’ll settle for a subdomain that fits our identity anyday… or in the future I’ll just install directly to the website root.

The excellent search-and-replace plugin can be found here.