The Guru42 Network

Yes, that’s right, I’m not seeking any nomination for any political office.

But I would like your vote!

I am NOT a graduate of Columbia University and Harvard Law School, and I’ve never been a law professor.  I was NOT born in Hawaii, and I’ve NEVER been to Indonesia. But if you vote for me, I will make you laugh, and I won’t make any promises I can’t keep!

I enjoy the internet, I am passionate about technology, and helping YOU to understand it!

For the fun of the competition, and who knows I may even learn something in the process, I’m playing the game of a different kind.  Check it out.   If you enjoy reading our articles, have some fun, vote for me!

It can get confusing with all the acronyms flying around out there.  I’ve written numerous articles to try to take a lot of the geek speak and political spin and explain it in simple terms.

I have also used social bookmarking site Delicious to create a  “stack of links” on internet regulation.  Delicious is pretty cool for creating collections of links  like  this comprehensive list of internet legislation articles.

On one of the link stacks on Delicious someone has created a stack with the label “Stop Online Privacy Act (SOPA) News.”   You may feel like the folks on Capitol Hill want to take away your privacy, but SOPA is an acronym for Stop Online Piracy Act.  The well meaning folks in Washington want to stop piracy, not privacy. Internet pirates are folks who take intellectual property that they do not own like music and movies, and give it away or sell it on websites.

Over the years I’ve used many analogies in teaching and public speaking to get people to put technology into the proper perspective, The internet is just a mirror, a reflection. If you don’t like what you see, what do you do?  Some people break the mirror, others change what’s being reflected.

The internet doesn’t take sides, it gives birth to both good and evil. The internet is our collective mind, it is our collective soul. It is a reflection of all of us, and together we have the responsbiility to focus and form that reflection.

Yes, online piracy is a crime, and it should be punished.  But we should not break the internet, and punish the law abiding users of the internet in order to stop the pirates.

Technoloy has been my profession for 35 years, I get fired up  and I am passionate about the need for the internet, the technology itself to stay free of regulation.

I have been covering the proposed legislation on various internet topics.  I know all the acronyms, geek speak, and political double talk can be confusing, so  I have written two articles in hopes of sorting through all the acronyms and geek speak of the current SOPA and PIPA battle going on.

I’m a bit fired up over this because politicians don’t understand the technology. They should keep their fingers off of it!

You are using the internet right now to read this. As someone who uses the internet you should care about the governments desires to regulate it.  It is your internet too! Give a damn! Understand!

PLEASE, take a moment to read the following articles.

We attempt to explain the geek speak in simple terms,  PIPA, SOPA, and the battle for the internet: Understanding the technology.

Hope this helps you to understand what we are fighting for,  PIPA, SOPA, and the battle for the internet: Understanding the politics

The argument I use here is a lot like an analogy I use to put the internet into perspective.  The internet is not evil.  But evil people use the internet.

The internet is like a mirror, it simply reflects what it sees.  If you don’t like what you see in the mirror, you don’t break the mirror, you change the reflection!

Don’t let Congress break the internet! 

To stay informed follow me  @Gu42 on Twitter or Guru42 on Facebook.

If you missed any of the recent news click on this link to a comprehensive list of internet legislation articles.

The line, “We learn from failure, not from success!” sounds like pretty sound advice.

You may find it interesting to know they are the words of Professor Abraham Van Helsing to Dr. John Seward in the Novel “Dracula” by Bram Stoker…

“Nothing is too small. I counsel you, put down in record even your doubts and surmises. Hereafter it may be of interest to you to see how true you guess. We learn from failure, not from success!”

The website SmartTechnology.Info is about using technology smarter to make your life easier. These thoughts are based on my many interactions over the years with a wide variety of technology users.

The section on Power and Responsibility is based on some business writing and workshops that I have done over the years.

I taught for at the community college level for many years.  While most of the courses I taught were technology courses, not everyone taking the classes was there to be a technician or engineer. Some folks were taking the classes to better appreciate the topics covered so they could better understand, and communicate more effectively with the technology folks they had to deal with in their roles as business professionals or managers.

SmartTechnology.Info aims to educate the folks in their roles as business professionals or managers. Our companion site  ComputerGuru is more from the perspective of the technology professional.

Over the last few weeks I’ve been tweaking the Drupal code and fine tuning my websites. Little by little I’ll focus on promoting each one as I give them an overhaul.

Take a look at SmartTechnology.Info, tell me what you think.  Something you like?  Something you would like to see further developed, or a similar topic cover?

Share your thoughts on the Guru 42 Facebook page, or drop me a message directly.

Wow, is it Wednesday already!

I’ve been so wrapped up in overhauling my websites the last few days that I just realized I had not been on Facebook or checked my email since Sunday!   I have really been focusing on Drupal and site building the last few weeks.  Looking forward to having some of these sites take off in 2012!

While I have a bunch of new websites in the works, I have been focusing on over the weekend and the last few days on getting some of my existing websites “cleaned up.”

If you have not stopped by any of these sites lately, please stop by, check them out and tell me what you think.

PhilosophyGuru – Adding a bunch of content there on rock music history.  Also have a bunch of notes on movies.   Movies and music are topics that are very popular in searches.  Trying to put come content here and see what kind of traffic I can drive to it.

Smart Technology Info — Technology website trying to focus from the small business owner and business manager perspective.

ComputerGuru  — From my old links and lessons on learning from my teaching days. Reworking old material trying to make it friendly for those learning technology searching for info.

Please feel free to check out our sponsors! Look over the ads and click a few links!  Look over our websites, kick the tires on them.  Let me know what you like, don’t like.

Stay tuned!  There’s more to come from the Guru 42 Universe in 2012!

As the new year starts  we often reflect.  Spending many years in technology, I often reflect on how we all did things BC. (before computers).    Here are a few words that I was thinking about.

Remember when…  If somebody asked you if knew about Bing, you thought they were talking about some old guy singing Christmas songs…

Remember when… If somebody asked you if knew about Yahoo, you thought they were talking about the crazy guy down the street…

Remember when… If somebody asked you if knew about Google, you thought they were talking about Scope or Listerine…

Remember when…  Everyone didn’t have a blog. If this blog post makes perfect sense to you, I guess you are an old fart like me?

Best Wishes for a prosperous New Year from the Guru 42 Universe

I remember when you could tell everyone you know Merry Christmas!  … and you didn’t have to worry about who you offended.

I have many friends, who believe in many things, and respect them for their beliefs and convictions.  It has nothing to with political correctness. It has to do with being a friend.

Merry Christmas

I want to wish a Merry Christmas to all my friends and the fans of the Guru 42 Universe and the Tao of Questy.

I Believe in Santa Claus! Please take a moment to read Believe in Santa Claus and allow me to share my Christmas thoughts with you.

Happy New Year

We look forward to your friendship and support in 2012.

Follow the the Guru 42 Universe for technology news and features, and the Tao of Questy, to share ideas on our crazy world and being a little bit crazy in order to stay sane.

May your new year be filled with Peace, Love, and Happiness.

I am as mad as hell, and you should be too.  For months congress has been promising to create laws to regulate the internet.

Regardless of where you stand on the issues, hopefully you give a damn about them, and will take a minute to understand the issues.

Take a moment to read, SOPA Marathon session in Congress produces nothing.

This really burns me up. This is crazy and childish. Congress needs to take this seriously!

If you have not been following this, please catch on in these articles as well.

Google starts war of words over online piracy bill

Online protests aim to kill SOPA and Protect IP legislation

Technology companies ask lawmakers to scrap online piracy legislation

Protect IP Act aims to block internet pirates

Tweet this one up with #DontBreakTheInternet

It is your internet too!  Give a damn!  Understand!

The phrase “Mistake by The Lake” is often used as a negative way to describe the city of Cleveland, Ohio.

I am not here to knock the city of Cleveland, however, the phrase “Mistake by The Lake” is certainly appropriate in describing the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which is located located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio.

Every year The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announces its new inductees, and I look at the list and get mad.  There’s at least one or two on the list that have me scratching my head.  But what has me mad are the many great artists that never make the list.

If you are a baby boomer, and love classic rock as much as I do, are you shocked to realize the notable acts not in the Rock Hall of Fame: Rush, Kiss, Styx, Journey, Foreigner, the Moody Blues, Bon Jovi, Iron Maiden, Jethro Tull, Chicago, BTO, ELO, Steve Miller Band, Jefferson Starship.

I will have more on this topic in the days ahead.  I just wanted to get that rant out here today!

Peace.  Rock on!

Check out this link to see who is in the class of 2012: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announces 2012 inductees

Internet Monopoly could be a board game you play on the coffee table, with cards, a cardboard game board, play money, and dice.

But we are talking about Internet Monopoly as game played in a corporate board room, with American dollars, and every roll of the dice is worth millions.

That’s this weeks technology news, where it seems to be centered on the big players of the internet, Google and Facebook, and what small companies they are buying.

Check out these articles:

Facebook buys location sharing service Gowalla

What’s next for the King of the internet…

Google takes on Amazon in online retail

Google purchase of online display advertising company Admeld moving forward

Every year around the Christmas holidays the question comes up, "What is a sugar plum?"

The simple response would be a small fruit confection rolled in sugar. While there are actual fruits known as sugar plums, most references to sugar plums are relating to various types of candied fruits.

The basic concept of the sugar plum is preserving fruits with sugar allowing them to be enjoyed all year round, much like canning vegetables, or salting meats is used to preserve foods for year round consumption.

read more

Yes, it can be a mixed bag at times, but there is no doubt this communications system we call the Internet has changed the world.

The well meaning folks in Washington that run the government think that the Internet can be used as a tool to control good and evil.  It is a pretty scary thought.

If you have not read them, please take a moment to read some of recent articles on pending legislation that threatens your use of the internet:

Online protests aim to kill SOPA and Protect IP legislation

Technology companies ask lawmakers to scrap online piracy legislation

Don’t Break The Internet with SOPA and Protect IP!

The Tao of Questy is about love and laughter and being human. It's about sharing ideas and being a little bit crazy in order to stay sane.

To quote a famous fellow philosopher, Voltaire, "I laugh to keep myself from going mad."

The core websites of Guru 42 are to be a place to reflect on the world around us, and without taking the stand of any one philosophy, to step back and try to understand a little behind the logic, or in many cases the lack of logic of the events of the day. As part of the Guru 42 universe, the Tao of Questy is the slightly off center corner of the Universe.

Although this site is called the Tao of Questy, it's not necessarily about Taoism, or any specific philosophy for that matter If you'd like to laugh a little, learn a little, and are open minded enough to stretch your mind a little, then join me for the journey I call the Tao of Questy.

read more

I have spent a lot of time this weekend updating and rebuilding websites.

Getting the Tao of Questy back in shape so the Santa Claus pages are online for the Christmas season. Had the old Questy site down until I had some time to rebuild it in Drupal. Check out: The Legend of Santa Claus

Leave your comments on the new Questy site at the Tao of Questy Facebook page.

We have done a lot of updating and building of Drupal sites, hopefully will have the time to add a bunch of content now that things are cleaned up.

Check out   Geek History 

We are working on a Geek News Portal that will be a companion site to Geek History.  This is in Drupal version 7.

Take a look at it. http://GeekNewsPortal.com/

Leave your comments on the Geek History site or the Geek News Portal at  the GeekHistory Facebook page.

Also, for anyone interested in my Drupal notes from site building. I will be adding those to an online location so perhaps someone can gain something from my lessons learned.

I am flattered by how many times this poem, Believe in Santa Claus, has been stolen and re-posted over the years, I guess that is a commentary to its meaning. In 1995, I wrote the poem Believe in Santa Claus as a gift to my children. This is a very personal piece for me, please do not reuse it  with out permission!

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In 1995, I wrote the poem Believe in Santa Claus as a gift to my children. It was at the point in their lives where many children question the belief in Santa Claus and feel betrayed that Santa Claus is just a joke that adults play upon children.

As children grow up, it is also a time when adults reject the concept of Santa Claus because they claim it conflicts with their beliefs.

Some folks would have you think that to believe in Santa Claus is counter to the true meaning of Christmas.

But what is the true meaning of Christmas?

read more

Cleaning up ton’s of old files over the weekend , when I stumbled upon this.  Seems appropriate for the moment…

“I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge.
That myth is more potent than history.
That dreams are more powerful than facts.
That hope always triumphs over experience.
That laughter is the only cure for grief.
And I believe that love is stronger than death.”

…the Storyteller’s Creed,
from “All I Really Need to Know …”
by Robert Fulghum, 1986, Ballantine Books

And don’t forget this valuable advice by Fulghum,

“When you go out into the world,
watch out for traffic, hold hands, and stick together.”

“The only constant is change,” is the concept taught by Heraclitus, who lived in ancient Greece around 500 BC.

Heraclitus was known for his doctrine of change being central to the universe.

The man should have worked in IT. He was about 2500 years before his time.

Understanding “Big Brother” An argument on the topic of technology versus privacy moves to US Supreme Court this week.

This should be an easy case for the courts, don’t you think? Should anyone be able to monitor your movements using GPS without a warrant? Check out this article, leave your comments on the Guru42 wall.

Check out the article: Technology versus privacy: GPS tracking case moves to US Supreme Court

Another “stack of links” from Delicious. As I was writing on Technology versus Privacy today, thought that this is one thread of ideas I want to keep together.

The theme of Technology versus Privacy is an important one, and not one that is going away anytime soon. I’ve grouped my articles on this topic using a Delicious link stack. Take a look, catch up on the news on this important topic.

Check out the link stack:  Technology versus Privacy by philosophyguru