Digsby -- The Ultimate Windows Chat Program?

I feel bad. I've been using a program called Digsby (site) for a few weeks now, and haven't had a chance to to through a review here on my site. So, I dedicate this blog to Digsby, and hope that all will benefit. Unless otherwise noted, all pictures are from the official Digsby site.

What is Digsby?

Digsby is a multiprotocol chat client developed for Windows. It integrates all of your chat and email addresses into one simple-to-use program that allows you to chat with whomever on a variety of chat protocols. These include Gmail chat (my favorite), MSN, Yahoo, AIM, ICQ, Jabber, and even Facebook Chat (this is not perfected yet. Facebook's chat protocol is ever changing, and so updates are necessary continuously. It still works. Although I hate facebook's chat.). In addition, you can add email addresses to your account that are constantly updated through your "buddy list". It includes support for Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, and any other service that provides POP or IMAP access. It also includes support for social networking, including facebook, myspace, and twitter.

How does it work?

Digsby puts this all together in a customizable, skinnable buddy list. Alerts by default pop up in the lower left hand corner of your monitor, and include friend updates from your social network, emails, and messages. The chat protocol is rock solid, and even supports things like pictures, file transfer, voice chat, and other important protocols. It doesn't support hand writing for MSN Messenger and probably misses a few other features that the full-fledged versions might have. However, this is far from a deal breaker for me. I never use those features and find that the simplified version of chatting that Digsby provides is better and more suited to my chatting preferences.

What does the chat window look like?

The chat window in Digsby can also be skinned and changed. The beautiful thing for me is the ability to TAB conversations. That's right: no matter how many chats you having at the same time, you can open them all in one window, tabbing them for convenience. This is a life saver for anyone on the job, or anyone looking for more screen real estate. This is invaluable for people like me who hate having 400 windows open at the same time and just find it better to keep one program window open and tab the different things that you might be working on (think Firefox, or Notepad++).

Why use it?

There are a multitude of reasons to use it. My primary reason is the ability to stay on top of all things at once, without having to have separate browsers for all my different email addresses, avoiding unnecessary resource usage through multiple chat programs, or simply consolidating my online usage and tracking everything more effectively. There is a very robust preferences pane which allows you to customize the look, sound, and performance of Digsby. Want more alerts? Easy. Want less alerts? Easy as well. Adding protocols is a snap, and signing up for a Digsby profile is simple.

Are their drawbacks?

Sure. Signing up for a Digsby profile stores some information on the Digsby servers. You can use this program between computers without having to add all the different protocols again. This means that some sort of information is stored by Digsby regarding your sign in usernames and passwords. However, this information is stored and protected by the company. Also, as I said earlier, some more advanced features are not supported, and if you are avid user of handwriting, or of gaming with Yahoo messenger, this isn't for you.

Overall: Download the program. Seriously. I love it. It has changed the way I chat and the way that I interact with the web. It's free, fast, dead simple, and super effective. I would recommend this whole-heartedly to everybody on my contact list and everybody who glances at this blog.

Link: http://www.digsby.com/. Just click download now, and select the platform you'd like it for! That simple!

Leave any and all comments in the appropriate and designated location. :)

The Lifestyle of the Poor and Geeky

Little known fact by just looking at me: I'm a geek. I'm someone who absolutely loves to research, to learn, and spend time with the internet and computers. This leads me down many paths, and leads me into true geekdom. What do I mean?

Well, many people, when they buy something, decide that some research should be involved. Geeks, however, raise this research to another level entirely. A wonderful example: I am going to buy a car when I graduate from college. That's a pretty typical thing, and most people would start investigating this a month or two ahead of time, look at a couple cars, decide what they like, and head off to buy. When I decided that I was going to do this, back in February or March of this year, I began researching. I went through list after list, looking at used Pontiac G6's, G5's, BMW's, Mazda3's and 6's, MazdaSpeed3's and 6's, and even Lexus'. I had decided, about 2 months ago, that I was leaning toward a Pontiac G6, due to their styling and their prices used from '06 and '07. Of course, being a geek, this was not the end of my searching. And now, I've decided on one important factor I hadn't been entirely considering yet: Gas mileage. This has made me reconsider my choices, and I am now squarely focused on either the Honda Fit, Scion xD, or the Suzuki SX4 Crossover. And that means that I have spent hours perusing the internet, reading multiple websites with consumer and professional reviews. And I'm not even going to buy for another 6 months or more. Yea, that's how a geek operates.

You see, a geek isn't only about computers. Geeks research and consider EVERYTHING before they buy it. We research endlessly, and attempt to verify our decisions and continuously look for better deals. You'd think that would lead to us never buying anything -- but the reality is that it makes us buy more things. Because, in the course of our research, we often discover other things that we "need" or simply want. It's pretty fun. But it's not a bad thing, it's simply how we work.

The other weird thing about geeks is that we aren't made to be poor. And that's my main problem. I have no money. But I have lots of wants. And that makes the internet evil. Cause, you know what? You can find ANYTHING! It can be stressful.

Besides that, I research plenty of other things before buying. You ever need advice about a computer? MP3 Player? GPS unit? Pistol? Car? Find a geek researching to buy the same thing, and trust me, he'll fill your ears with plenty of information. Maybe too much.

I love being a geek.

Comments? As a geek, I'll read and listen to every single one. ;)

What Happened to Free Speech?

Let me preface my remarks with a quick statement: I do not endorse hate-filled rhetoric of any kind be it anti-religious, racist, overly religious, or any other form of hate. However, I have seen a strange trend recently in the treatment of "free" speech and the different definitions that we tend to employ of it.

First of all, there are the highly liberal people who decry all things contrary to their opinions. This includes opinions on gay marriage, government, health care, and other things. Anything against their opinion is called "uneducated", "stupid", "bigoted", or anything else. Mind you, most of this experience comes from the highly liberal internet message boards, where most things are decried as foul and wrong. I will never understand why people must decide that other people have no idea what they are talking about, especially when we are talking about opinions. Don't call someone intolerant who simply does not want other people's lives to interfere with theirs. Tolerance is exactly that: live and let live. It's not acceptance of everyone else's ideals or opinions. Its not even agreeing with others -- its more of an allowance of opinion.

Internet flamewars are all too common. So many people call religious people "stupid" or "blind", not understanding how they can believe in something that cannot be seen. The reality is that there is nothing wrong with religion, in any form. Taken to the extreme, it can be very detrimental and cause many problems. However, for the most part, it just involves people living and being happy, finding their own way to express themselves and obtain happiness. Is that so bad?

I've noticed a disturbing trend that decries all conservative talk as hateful or uneducated. People seem to think that to have a real opinion, it has to be against the political mold or against mainstream society. Anything that expresses an opinion contrary to gay marriage, or to socialized healthcare is often referred to as stupid, or simply intolerant. The reality is that they have their opinions. They are well entitled to write and express what they feel. Does this mean that I agree? No. Does this mean that I am entitled to rip them apart and call them stupid? No. Once again, when it becomes hate-filled and violent, that is terrible and inappropriate. However, conservatives are just as entitled as anyone to their opinions on government, political candidates, mainstream society and economics. Everyone, on both sides of the political spectrum, has messed up thousands of time.

It is my sincere hope that we can allow everyone to have their opinion. Free speech is not speech without consequences, but we should all be willing to allow others to have their opinions stated without flaming or attacking. If someone thinks differently than you, take their opinion into consideration and evaluate it for its merits. Sometimes you'll find that they make more sense than you do. Let me offer 3 suggestions:

1. Research. When someone expresses something you don't agree with, don't jump on the flamewar bandwagon. Research the opinion. Look at the author's resources. Read through point and counterpoint. Evaluate the argument objectively, finding the strengths and weaknesses.
2. Think before you comment. When we read something that we disagree with, our natural reaction is to immediately comment. However, I think it is good to let it marinate. Sit back, relax, research (see step 1), think, ponder, meditate -- don't just flame. Find a way to contribute to the conversation. Don't just hate.
3. Write clearly and contribute healthily. When you write a counterpoint, don't call the other person out by swearing, or by calling them an idiot. Write legibly, and consistently. Find a way to express yourself without hate, without inflammatory phrases. Countering hateful rhetoric with more hateful rhetoric is not a solution and does not help -- it tends to prove the author's point. If you really want to counter an argument, make sure that you know what you are talking about and express it clearly enough that people can see your logic. Then leave it up to others to decide. Don't argue more by responding to inflammatory posts, it will just make you angry.

I think if we can use some of these plans, we'll see more productive comment sections, and find more value in the internet forums we participate in.

Leave comments in the designated area.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Really-Out-There Skull

The fourth Indiana Jones was released last week to mediocre reviews by both critics and fans alike. A classic "professor/action hero" story led to the success of the original franchise, leading to movies like Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and others. After a 19 year hiatus, Henry Jones, Jr. makes his return to theaters. Is it a bust? Read on to find out my impressions. SPOILER WARNING: There may be small spoilers included in the rest of this review.

Story: This is one crazy story. Basically, it hinges around Indiana, who gets in trouble with the FBI for "helping" Russians gain access to an artifact of significant import. He is then harassed by them and given a "leave of absence" from the University. He then gets a message from Mutt that one of his good friends has gone missing. This sends him on a quest to find the crystal skull, and return it. The story is all well and good until we get closer to the end, where it becomes uniquely convoluted and complicated. While Indiana Jones has never been one to dabble in the ordinary, this story one ups all of the other ones in the odd section. Let's just put it this way: aliens. I don't want to spoil it, because the movie is perfectly enjoyable as is -- it just has a very strange story line that I still don't know if I love.

Acting: This is Harrison Ford (Indiana Jones) back in the old, comfortable pair of shoes. He plays Indy with aplomb, enjoying and relishing on screen moments. You can tell he's having fun with the story, and enjoying putting on the old Indiana Jones costume once more. Shia LeBeouf does an admirable job as Mutt, a cantankerous kid always rushing impetuously into new dangers. Cate Blanchett, as the evil Russian seems a little empty for most of the movie. She seems to have one face, permanently held with a sneer and a snide little stare. However, she does come into her own late in the movie and makes for an enjoyable, if not strange, bad guy -- er, girl.

Action: Indy is in top form for his action scenes. They play a much larger role in this movie than in the previous. The mindless action fun is there, and it is truly a sight to behold. It is nice to see that Ford and LeBeouf did almost all their own stunts, and allowed for close ups on their faces during intense moments. I enjoyed the scenes very much, although the middle chase scene through the Amazon seems to get a little too long. I wish they had cut just a bit of that out.

Overall: A good movie, but not a great movie. I enjoyed it, and recommend it for anyone looking for a good escapist movie. However, the story is a little excessive and sometimes the action can get a little repetitive. Overall, I do recommend it.

Story: 7.8/10
Acting: 9/10
Action: 8.8/10
Overall (not an average): 8.4/10

Comments? You know the drill.

GTA IV: Glorious Mayhem

 

Grand Theft Auto 4 has been released to major critical acclaim. All of the major gaming review outlets have praised the game as simply marvelous, heaping on it the first 10/10 ratings given in the last 10 years (interestingly enough, the last game to receive such high marks was The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for the Nintendo 64). As a gamer and with a roommate who owns a PS3, we picked up a copy of the game the day that it came out. Having played through about 40% of the actual storyline to this point, I think I can sum it up and provide an accurate picture of just why this games has been so praised by reviewers and gamers alike.

Anyone who knows about video games has heard of the mountains of controversy surrounding the GTA franchise. Purported as a game that supports and even glorifies murder, mayhem, robbery, mobs, gangs, drugs, sex and a partridge in a pear tree, the game is subjected to hours of news coverage whenever it is released and subject to heavy criticism as it breaks every sales record ever established (first week sales totaled over $500 million, which is a certified world record for the largest entertainment launch in history). Why does such a horrid bane on our society sell so well? Why is it received so well critically? Has our society collapsed to the point where this is what people want?

After spending time with the game, I can fully understand the reviews and the criticisms levied for and against the game. Yes, it has more f bombs than any movie ever made. Yes, it is violent. Yes, you can kill civilians and cops. Yes, you work for the mob. Yes, you steal lots of cars. But the reality of the game is that so much care and thought has been put into every detail that it is impossible to hate the game. The first time I rode around listening to the radio, dialed up my cell phone to identify the song, careened through traffic at high speeds, shooting out the window and some thug who I was supposed to chase down, running from the cops with a three-star rating, I was hooked. I know, it sounds ridiculous, but let me sum it up.

Graphics: Impressive for a game of this scale. The game has a HUGE map, and plenty of areas to explore. You can climb to the tops of many buildings, set up vantage points, travel through the water or in the air. Call a cab and watch the city go by you. It's amazing. While there are texture issues, and some pop ins, the reality is that for a game designed with so much detail and on such a massive scale, it sure is beautiful.

Sound: The voice acting is terrific. The characters all have depth and emotion built into everything that they are talking about. The soundtrack, as per typical Rockstar style, is magnificent.

Controls: Car physics are loose. Very loose. It allows you to pull full 360's almost on command and spin out whenever and wherever you want. But EVERY car handles differently. I'm not kidding. Get in a "coquette" (GTA's Corvette) and you can fly around, speeding and taking turns with aplomb. Get in a Hummer-like vehicle, and the car is noticeably more sturdy and can take way more hits. It's still relatively quick, but won't keep up with a sports car in a race. The other buttons are well mapped and thoughtfully placed. I have no complaints, except for the half pull on the free aim. I tend to pull to far. :(

Gameplay: This game was designed with so much detail. Like I said, each car is different. You can surf the internet, have relationships with women and men, discover the "statue of happiness" and so many other aspects of the game. You can identify songs by a built-in system that you can call and it will text you the name and artist of the song. You can go to comedy clubs, cabaret shows, play pool, play darts, go drinking, and a myriad of other activities. It's incredible.

Morality: The game is, of course, of very questionable morality. But I've noticed some interesting things: Civilians and cops typically don't die when you shoot them. They fall, and get disarmed. But normally will stand back up and limp off the scene if you let them. You are encouraged to steal cars, heck, required to steal cars, but frequently listen to Niko (your character) apologize after doing it. It's this kind of action that condemns this game in many eyes. However, if playing a video game causes you to go out and commit these heinous acts, you need more help than you are letting on.

Overall, the game really is a masterpiece. Every set piece works together flawlessly, and the game really does draw you in. If you are a gamer, you really owe it to yourself to pick up this game. It is a fun time, and allows you to truly experience a video game, rather than just sit in front of it.

However, if you are offended by language and other questionable acts, I'd recommend foregoing it.

Comments on the game? That's what the "comments" section is for!

Is the American Dream Dead?

It would seem that in our current world, many people would have you believe that the "American dream" no longer applies. In other words, many would tell you that it is no longer possible to arrive in the US, find work, work hard, be successful and overcome the difficulties that were once present in your family or your life. It would seem that with the advent of more and more welfare, the cries for universal health care and more governmental control than ever, more and more people no longer believe that the United States provides the opportunity to improve yourself and grow and better your personal circumstances. I find this to be a HUGE fallacy.

First of all, I understand that my experiences may differ from many others, but the fact still remains that hundreds of millions of dollars of scholarships go unclaimed every year. The government provides so many gifts to people willing to work and study and learn. Those people, more than ever, have the opportunity to attend junior colleges, community colleges, trade schools, vocational institutes, or many other places that they wouldn't have had years ago. I fully believe that anyone willing to put in the work and the effort can succeed in today's society. If you are willing to find something that you are good at and work to improve your skills, you can prove invaluable at anything and everything that you might be able to do.

Second, don't doubt the power of the internet. Have a desire to learn how to create web pages? Thousands of pages are available that cover very basic to very advanced topics. Want to develop other skills that are hard to find in your area? I'm willing to bet that hundreds, if not thousands of pages are available to help you learn more about the skill, find schools that are willing to help train you, connect with people that can put you in the right place at the right time. Don't doubt that you can find pretty much anything you need to find on the internet.

Third, people aren't willing to work anymore. It would seem that everyone is in such a rush to get rich, that they simply aren't willing to spend years as grunts. Before you can make $100,000 a year, you might have to make $15,000 a year. And when you have no experience or training, the sad truth is that you are only worth that much. It's not settling -- it's knowing that with experience comes money. Be prepared to scrape things together for years while you work your way up the ladder. If you have a dead end job, the experience that you have working will definitely facilitate the search for the next step.

Fourth, It is expensive to live in California. It is expensive in Utah. It's expensive in New York, Florida, or along either coast. If you can't afford it, why not move somewhere more affordable? Find a job in a place that you can afford, that you can make ends meet, and you will more likely be happy and willing to work to improve yourself. Why is it the responsibility of those who have worked hard, learned, excelled, and received promotions to pay for those who don't want to work for themselves? I understand that some people can't find jobs: that's a different story. But it would seem that too many people are content to blame contemporary American society for their problems. Racism exists, problems exist, the economy is experiencing yet another downturn -- but this doesn't mean that you can't work to improve yourself. Instead of calling for more taxes or government programs, let's work toward overcoming ourselves and being the best we can.

I know this sounds like a terrible judgement on the people that live on welfare and can't find adequate employment or a way to support their families. It is not meant to offend, nor meant to accuse anyone of not doing what they can. But the reality is that the American dream is only dead in the heads of those who refuse to believe in it. American still provides endless opportunities for those willing to start at the bottom and work their way up the ladder. Success comes with time -- it's not something that we find hidden under a rock in our backyard. I suggest three things:

1. Find something you love and discover a way to make it your life. Everyone has a passion. Some love to build things with their hands. Others love to code for computers. Still others love to play with numbers. Don't be afraid to look for jobs in these areas, even if they mean that your paycheck might be miserable as you work your way up the ladder, or create notoriety.
2. Trade schools are great, low-cost alternatives that provide you with real world work experience and skills. If you don't like the formal educational system, don't let that stop you. Get out there and find a vocational school that trains in your passion. Learn to do construction management. Learn to program. Learn to arrange music. Network and socialize with people. You'll find that your classmates are often the best sources of new jobs and pertinent information.
3. Don't blame outside forces. The only person responsible for your success is you. If you really want something, get out there and work for it. I've known many people in my college experience that are not blessed with the greatest natural intelligence -- but they make up for it with sheer determination and work ethic. They are willing to try, willing to fail, and willing to rework themselves. They often find the most successes. Remember, even Michael Jordan, arguably the greatest basketball player who ever lived, was cut from his high school varsity basketball team. If you are willing to work, you really can make anything happen.

Some might argue that my view is simplistic, and shaped by what I have seen around me in school and in my life. I won't disagree with that statement. Who I am is definitely a mixture of experiences, visions, emotions, hopes and dreams that have been with me for years. But, without those things I would never be where I am today. I could have given up long ago when I decided that Neuroscience was not my favored direction. When I lost my scholarship because I struggled through a few semesters in college. There were many opportunities to quit. But I know that my success is determined by myself. I am responsible for being who I am and for becoming the greatest that I can become.

I challenge everyone to recognize their own strengths. Find something you love and pursue it. Don't let others keep you down. Don't stop working. Don't overestimate the value of hard work. You won't start at the top. Precious few do. But the reality is that with enough work, love, devotion and dedication to something you do, you can succeed. I believe in everyone's ability. Let's work towards recreating the American dream and establishing ourselves in this magnificent generation filled with possibilities and imaginations. As my mom put it, "Just my thoughts, but I agree that the American dream is still out there.  Sometimes as we grow and change, our dreams modify.  But the truth is, once you stop dreaming, life loses its delight.  And then you die."

Comments? You know what to do.

My Rant Against Socialized Healthcare

Disclaimer: I am not a health care professional, nor a politician. While I am not a leading expert in this field, this post reflects my research and experiences on the subject of the government and the free economy. In no way do I represent myself as an authority, and I encourage all to do their research and determine what they feel is the best outcome for the United States. Enjoy.

This election seems to be a highly charged one. Information flows freely from each side, and can be disseminated in many different forms. This means that the voting population is largely alone in trying to determine which is the best course of action, and sifting through the information can become a challenge. One of the hot topics of the upcoming election is the revamping of the health care system of the United States. While there are many arguments, two primary forms of "revised" health care are generally supported. These two are socialized healthcare, and single-payer insurance. First, let me define the two for my readers:

• Socialized Healthcare: Some say the literal meaning is confined to systems in which the government operates health care facilities and employs health care professionals. (Narrowly defined to distinguish from single-payer health insurance, otherwise the definitions can intertwine). (Reference)
• Single Payer Insurance:  American term describing the payment for doctors, hospitals and other providers of health care from a single fund. (Reference2)

While not everyone will agree with these general definitions of the terms, these are the definitions that I will use during my discussion of socialized health care. Single-Payer insurance is a separate entity, and will be discussed in a later post. For now, let me focus on socialized health care.

Americans who support socialized healthcare cite the millions of uninsured Americans as the case to support a universal health care system. While I do not debate the benefits of supplying the US population with health care, I do question the creation of this system through taxation and government administration. The current law of the United States requires that an ER admit any person regardless of their ability to pay.(Reference3) This law requires that emergency service be provided to all. This has resulted in increased cost pressures on hospitals and has caused large cost deficits and frequently overruns in unpaid-for health care. Ultimately the taxpayer is responsible for these payments through either higher insurance premiums or directly out of governmental expense accounts.

I do not support the notion that these people are not entitled to health care -- actually much the opposite. I believe that access to health care is an important part of society and should be available to all. However, legislating health care as a provision to all of the citizens of the United States (or, even more difficultly, to all RESIDENTS (including non-citizens) of the United States) would require enormous expense. Many of the supporters of socialized health care cite the statistics showing the spending of the government on health care exceeds that of countries that currently employ socialized or single-payer insurance plans. This logic seems counterintuitive. Expanding a governmental entity that is already spending more on health care than any other industrialized nation doesn't seem to be the way to decrease governmental spending. Many governmental projects are rife with cost overruns and budget problems. Why, exactly, do we believe that socializing health care as a provision to every citizen will suddenly lower these costs?

Another issue I have with socializing health care is the potential conflict that it will create for doctors. Almost all of the best doctors in the world practice in the United States. And, to be frank, this is directly related to income. Practicing in the United States earns a doctor significantly more than in these socialized countries. Government is notorious for underpaying employees and doctors would become part of the problem. I would argue that most students pursuing a medical degree do so for two reasons: 1) To help mankind and make the world a healthier place, and 2) To make lots of money. Let's be honest, doctors deserve to be paid well for what they do. If we hand over the industry to the government, what happens to the drive to become a doctor? The second reason could very well be eliminated. What then? Doctors on welfare? I know, the idea sound ludicrous, but if we implement a system designed to reduce their salaries to keep down overall expenses, this is an inevitable result.

I fully support the notion that all employers should provide some kind of insurance or health care coverage for their employees. This is a cost of business. If you choose to run your own business, you should provide coverage for the people that work for you. This, however, is an entirely separate argument. I do believe that all should have health insurance.

While I support the notion that everyone should have health insurance, as I have stated, I do not precisely believe that a government-run health care system is the solution that the country is looking for. It requires careful study and creation -- it is not something that can simply be created from nothing.

So, what can we do about it?

I fully recognize that the health care system in the United States is not ideal. It is messed up in many significant ways. If socializing health care is not the solution, what is?

To find this solution, we can analyze one company that I believe is approaching it properly. For profit health care is a dangerous venture. It results in people searching to maximize profits for stockholders, and this causes an inherent conflict of interest. Maximizing profits and providing low-cost health care are inherently counter. However, there is one company that I have seen maximize these ideals: Kaiser Permanente. (Full Disclosure: I am a member of Kaiser, and my father works for the company.) This is in no way a cry of support for Kaiser, nor an advertisement for them, but more an analysis of how they approach business.

First of all, Kaiser is a non-profit organization. It is not a publicly traded company, nor ever will be. All profits made by the organization are placed back into the company to acquire the best doctors, equipment and technologies to help advance health care. Their insurance is not based on profit gaining ventures, and has been set up to provide for anyone willing to pay the premiums. Yes, you have to go to Kaiser to see your doctor. Yes, you have to see your primary care physician before being sent to a specialist. But this is not a hindrance. My mother recently required a specially crafted wrist brace to help problems she has been having with her thumb joint. She made an appointment with her primary care physician, saw her for about 30 minutes, and headed home with her recommendation. When she got home, she had a message on her answering machine from the specialist, already requesting an appointment. She made one for two days later, and was sent to the brace designer early the next week (her appt was on a Thursday). Her brace was finished 1 week later and provided to her at no cost, fully covered through the insurance. Many of you may argue that this is an isolated experience. However, growing up with Kaiser, I have always had these types of experience. Granted, others may argue that it is a result of my father working for the company. This is also not the case. There is no way to tell who works for Kaiser by viewing my medical record. This information is not provided, and those doctors do not know this information. My father isn't even a doctor, and rarely interfaces with them.

Is Kaiser perfect? No. There are many arguments that it isn't, and that the system is inherently flawed. I won't disagree. There are flaws in the system. There are flaws in every system. Proposing a fix like socialized health care provides more problems than it solves. Do we want higher taxes to support yet another government agency? I don't. I think taxes are high enough!

Do I have a solution? No. But I think the model of a potential solution can be found in our economy. Let's determine if that will work before we fund yet another governmental bureaucracy.

Updated: I found out that Kaiser does allow self referral for certain specialities.

Comments? You know where to leave 'em.

Sage (First Impressions)

So, I just downloaded and installed Sage, a feed aggregator designed to work within Firefox. I have some quick first impressions to share:

1. Well Designed: The aggregator is simple and its use is very intuitive. I had it installed, and got feeds added to it quickly. Just click the feed tag on the bar and off you go!
2. Quick: It is a simplified reader, and runs very quickly. It loads feeds fast, and organizes them simply as well.
3. Opens feed in browser: This is a little different. When you click a feed, it opens it in your browser window in squares all over. The unread ones appear first. Alternatively, you can view them in the sidebar, below the feed itself, but that provides no real summary.
4. Exactly what it should be: It appears that Sage is no more or less than what it should be: a simple, no-frills feed reader extension for Firefox. It really allows me to see my feeds quickly.

I am satisfied with Sage to this point. After a few more hours of use, I'll update my impressions.

Updated (11:50 a.m.): I found how to turn off the rendering in the "content pane". It makes Sage even that much more enjoyable. It only opens them in the sidebar, and you can hover over those and it will describe more of the post for you. Then, by right clicking, you can open in a new tab or whatever fits your fancy. You can mark all as read at a time and even mark all as unread. that's a nifty little benefit that you can get in the program itself. I like that.

Here's the download link (in case you wanna give it a run): Sage Download Page

Updated (5/15/08: 12:16): I just noticed Lifehacker's post on the 5 best RSS readers that went up today. Sage is amongst them. I've actually used them all, except the MacOS one, and find that Sage is by far my favorite for its ability to run from right within Firefox and the small memory imprint. It's beautiful. Check it out their post here.

Any tips? Leave them in the comments.

The Benefits of Doing Nothing

I have a job where I work at a computer lab on BYU campus. It's a challenge, really. I don't mean that in the I-don't-know-what-I'm-doing-what-a-hard-job type of way but more in the I-have-nothing-to-do-and-I'm-here-for-10-hours kind of way. Yea, that's right, this is my long, 10-hour day working at the computer lab. I'll tell you, spring/summer is not my favorite time of year here in the lab. You may think that it is nice to do very little, surf the web, and look outside. Well, I'm in a basement. No windows. The computer gives you a headache after you look around for too long. And I have very little cell phone service. I'm telling you -- 10 hours can seem like forever when you are stuck in the basement of the JKB on BYU campus.

Luckily,I'm a clever computer nerd, and I have an assortment of websites that I frequent during these times. Examples include:

• IGN PS3
• Rotten Tomatoes
• Lifehacker
• Digg
• Slashdot
• Gamespot
• Google

And plenty of others. However, just refreshing these sites all day long can get repetitive. So, I do my best to entertain myself by reading. I've been working 40 hours a week for the last two weeks, with 4 10-hour shifts so far; I've read 5 books. And not some 100 page nothing novels, but 600-800 page novels covering many different topics. So, I am averaging about 1400 pages a week. I don't have the money to support that habit. So, what can I really do? Not much. but that's why my blog will be getting more attention!

Any ideas or websites you'd have me scan? Let me know in the comments!

Ironman -- A True Hero?

So, I went and saw Ironman (like 100.7 million dollars worth of people!) last week. I loved it. Here's my concise review:

Acting: Robert Downey Jr. (Tony Stark) was pitch perfect in this role. He provided just enough machismo to pull off the overconfident, savvy billionaire but pulled it back enough to allow us to realize that he really could be that smart and creative in his weapons development. Jeff Bridges (Obadiah Stone) was fun and unexpected. Gwyneth Paltrow (Pepper Potts) and Terrence Howard (Rhodes) provided solid performances that really added to the effect of the movie.

Action: Wow. While the action was not the central part of the story for a good 2/3 of the film, the parts that followed later were impressive. They truly captured Ironman for what he really is. The special effects were great, and the sound and post editing were well done. I left satisfied, quite drawn in.

Story: I love the backstory to Ironman. He is such a cold, calculating villian when you first meet him, but as he learns what his business and arms have done to himself and the world, he has a true change of heart. It is here that Ironman shines: instead of focusing on special effects to move the story, we have an incredible story only to be bolstered by state of the art special effects and fun.

Bottom Line: A great way to start the summer. One of the best superhero movies I've ever seen. Go and see it!

Acting: 9/10
Action: 10/10
Story: 10/10
Overall (not an average): 9.3/10

The Course of My Blogging

So, I've always managed to have a problem managing to consistently post things to a blog. I seem to get distracted, forget about it, or just basically forget to post things that I find interesting and/or fascinating. I'm hoping that I can finally shake that problem and get down to posting.

To start with, let me tell you who I am: I'm a 24 year old Master's student at BYU. I'm studying for my Information Systems Management degree and am signed to work with Ernst and Young doing IT Audit both this summer and after I graduate in December. I love technology; I seriously spend 12 hours a day researching it, reading about it, and finding out all I can about what may be coming next. However, I'm an unusual nerd: I love sports, exercising, lifting weights, basketball, baseball, football and plenty of other outdoor activities. I'm learning ASP.NET 3.5 for a website I'm designing for my mom (http://www.diannegamblin.com) and every once in awhile I really enjoy a good coding session.

It's odd that I am such a technology geek and have such a hard time keeping up with my blog postings. I know that it's hard, but I plan to keep this one up and running as long as I physically can.

Check back here often and I'll share some valuable insights from my life and teach you what I can about who I am and what I think.

See you soon!