When I was a kid I could call someone and ask if their refrigerator was running and not worried about getting caught. Nobody had caller ID them. To figure out who you were, the police had to actually trace your calls. The TV shows would show smart felons counting the actual time it would take to trace a call and hanging up just before the time ran out. Well the times are quite different now.

With the advent of caller ID, people can know at least the telephone number from where someone was calling and guess who it is that called. However, the world is again changing with the advent of VOIP and Virtual Telephone Numbers.

It is now possible to have a telephone number anywhere in the world. These numbers are called Virtual Numbers. It is possible to for a company to have local Telephone Numbers in New York, Florida, California, and Washington and have them all call somewhere in the middle of Wyoming up in a mountain cabin over the Internet. While this seems like it may be deceptive on the part of a company, it can also be a very powerful tool.

Let’s say you have an aging Mother who lives in Indiana and you live in Washington. In this case you would like your mother to be able to call you at anytime without worrying about long distance charges. Well you can get a virtual Indiana number and have it will ring your Washington Telephone. She can talk to you as long as she wants for the charge of a local call. Never again will she have to pay long distance to call you. With the advent of new VoIP telephone companies like USP Connect, Vonage, and other providers, you can always call her for free because of the Free Unlimited Long Distance Offered in many of their plans.

Not only can you get virtual local numbers, but you can get virtual 800 numbers as well. Imagine giving a child away at college your 800 number to call you. They can never say they could not afford to call you from anywhere. Many students have cell phones, but sometimes the batteries die or they run out of minutes and it way too expensive to call you. Not anymore, they can find a payphone or a friend’s phone and call your virtual 800 number any time.

There are many uses for virtual numbers. One of the best things is they are relatively inexpensive usually $5 to $10 a month depending on the type and number of minutes you give to them. Truly the world is becoming a local call!

Wilford Lee
Engineering Consultant
http://www.Free4LifeCalls.com

One of the biggest parts of my job is managing website log files. Our business is very “marketing-centric”, so missing log file data isn’t expectable. There have been a few situations were log files have been split or broken. Below are three nice little commands which have helped tremendously.

Removes all log files with no data
find /home/httpd/logs -size 0 -type f -print0 | xargs -0 rm -f
This is a simple little command which helps keep things neat and organized. Once files rotate I’ve found a bunch of empty files on the folder. This really confuses some of the marketing people.

Converts log files extention into logical month.
for i in `dir /home/httpd/logs/*-access_log.1|sed s/\.1$//`; do mv $i.1 $i.feb; done
A little more complicated. Again, the overall goal here is to make the log files more friendly for marketing people connecting into the FTP server. I am converting the *.1 extension file created by the log rotate into *.month. I use this single line to change the extension on 300+ files. Works fantastic!

Combines log files with extentions .1.1 -> .1 and creates a new logical month.
for i in `dir /home/httpd/logs/*-access_log.1|sed s/\.1$//`; do cat $i.1.1 $i.1 >$i.mar; done
Here is the big daddy. One month because of a mistake the log files rotated mid-month. This would have been a nightmare to manually concatenate each file. This script above takes the files and combines them. Try to do this in windows!

For the most part I’ve learned to hate access logs. They are a big, always changes, difficult to backup, and from a technical perspective somewhat useless. These little few commands above however make life a little easier.

Atlas-Tuesday - Log File UNIX Commands

When one considers the historical nature of security applications and programs of any type, i.e., CCTV, intrusion detection and alarm systems, corporate policies and programs and countermeasures of any type, the phenomenon of the Denial Syndrome, Complacency and Failure to properly allocate a Security Budget can not be over emphasized. If we, as individuals, as a country and as a government, have not learned anything from the lessons of 911, it is the benefit of being pro-active and utilizing the concept of foreseeability.

No mater how, when or where, the denial syndrome is the one human response mechanism which can be most fatal in any security response program or effort. On too many occasions, individuals, whether VIP’s, corporate executives or the neighbor down the street will simply place their hand in the sand and resolve themselves stating to themselves “it won’t happen to me”.

Too many clients respond to their threats whether due to a: stalker and/or threat from a disgruntled employee or corporate enemy, a Workplace Violence issue, internal thefts - both Estate and Corporate, security issues due to high profile or net worth, corporate espionage, marital disputes, etc., with the denial syndrome. Too many individuals simply feel that they can “safely play the percentages” and ignore the threat or the possible repercussions. The results of this type of complacency is too may times very costly and potentially, deadly.

Then of course, there is the individual or corporate executive who inevitably will analytically determine the ROI does not exist in relation to the threat level. However, the individual almost unilaterally comes to this conclusion, completely ignoring and discounting the recommendations set forth as a result of a properly conducted Vulnerability and Threat Assessment. This response is typical and a perfect example of the “penny wise and pound foolish” attitude.

Anothern aspect of life today, which has become such a serious issue and “threat” to us as individuals, families, and as a country and nation, is “Child Abductions”. We too many times, turn on the evening news to hear of yet, another child being abducted. These child predators have no conscience and seek out victims, statistically between the ages of 10-12 but not limited to those ages, more times than not, a young girl and brutally sexually abuse and then murder them. The predator would more than likely prefer to abduct the older person, perhaps a 19 or 20 year old female. However, probably due to the greater degree of resistance and increased difficulty in being successful, the predators choose the younger victims.

It is in these instances that we sharply notice the denial syndrome, complacency and failure to properly budget security in operating in our lives. We plainly need to realize that we no longer live in a society that was as safe as when we grew up.
Today, due to many circumstances, one being the overcrowded criminal detention system and the pressures it places on the criminal justice system to plea bargain down felony crimes and another one being the past decades of budget cuts in state and municipal funding of Psychiatric Institutions has placed too many “psych” patients and “predatory criminals” out on the streets and living in our neighborhoods among us.

We, as parents and as a society in general, have to come to grips with the fact that we must be as pro-active. Simple mistakes such as allowing our children to ride their bikes alone, travel (walk) to a friend’s house or to school, unescorted can be fatal. We simply can’t allow small children to play unsupervised, in any environment, whether it be the driveway, backyard, park or school playground. Predators exist. They are out there, looking for the mistake.

Being pro-active is critical. There are other steps parents can take, such as the use of a GPS watch or cellular phone. Obviously, the wealthier can utilize the services of an armed bodyguard, protection agent to escort their child, such as in the movie “Man On Fire”.

Given the nature of today’s occurrences, whatever the countermeasure taken, we can be assured, it probably rests within the parameters of sensibility.

For a free community service seminar on “Child Abduction Awareness”, J.A. LaSorsa & Associates can be contacted at: 954-783-5020 or via e-mail: jal@lasorsa.com or by visiting: www.lasorsa.com

Mr. LaSorsa manages J.A. LaSorsa & Associates, a South Florida based security consultancy and investigative firm, which provides professional services to include: asset and executive protection, corporate security and loss prevention, litigation support and expert testimony as it relates to premises liability, foreseeability, security negligence and security operations; technical security counter-measures, de-bugging, electronic sweep, anti-wiretapping, safe rooms and security systems consulting, event and tour security, investigations and undercover operations, suspect interviews, surveillances, workplace & school violence intervention & consulting, threat and vulnerability assessments and developing/ implementing Crisis/Disaster and Business Continuity Management plans.

Joe has over twenty-nine years of experience, which includes a twenty-year Federal Law Enforcement career as a Senior Special Agent with the United States Secret Service, Presidential Protection Division, the White House.
J.A. LaSorsa & Associates can be contacted at: 954-783-5020 or via e-mail: jal@lasorsa.com

The N78 has been really popular with the public and has been a real triumph for Nokia. Like other similarly priced phones from Nokia the visual appearance is fairly modern and would appeal to a wide range of customers.The N78 from Nokia is a sleek and stylish handset.

The best way to buy a mobile in the modern world is on the web. Buying online can save you a significant amount of money, amazingly it is possible to get half price line rental for 12 months on the Nokia N78 , which, in theory should not cost anything to run.

The Nokia N78 is has bluetooth, meaning it effortless to integrate with devices, such as hands free sets or even a computer. This mobile handset is very compact easily fitting into ones pocket. The handset is pretty light weighing in at 101.8 g. If colour is something you are interested in you may like to know that this phone can only be bought in Black. The Nokia N78 is equipped with Polyphonic (64 channels), MP3 ring tones along with a vibration alert . A Standard battery, Li-Ion 1200 mAh (BL-6F) battery cell is fitted to the Nokia N78. The battery duration the N78 is 4:20 talk time and 320 hours reserve time. The N78 is compatible with 2G GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 and 3G HSDPA 2100 / 900 . This handset has a 3.15 MP, 2048×1536 pixels, autofocus, Carl Zeiss optics, video(VGA 15fps), flash; secondary CIF videocall camera. If you use the Internet on the move, you will be pleased to know a WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML, RSS feeds compatible browser is included. Moving on to the display the phone is fitted with a 2.4 inch screen, which, taking into consideration other options available for the price is a pretty average size display. A TFT, 16M colors display is fitted to this handset. The N78 also has:

The N78 is amongst the newest phones currently on the market, despite this it remains possible to get a good deal on this phone.

Whatever office chair you look at purchasing it will be available in all sizes, colours,and shapes. An ergonomic office chair means that a chair has adjustable parts to its design, which allows it to adapt to the users human body which comes in many different shapes and sizes.Some users may be tall, others may be on the smaller side. Therefore some may require a large chair,( which will fit the length of legs etc.) while others will require a smaller width and depth to there chairs.It has come to light aafter may years of tests that the human body isn’t as flexible as an ergonomic chair. Even if you aren’t able to find the perfect office chair,for you, you can always use techniques to make the most of the situation. The chair that can adapt best for your needs, can help make proper use of the body and even enhance your coordination as well. The solution here, is to hold your neck in such a way that the length of your spine and neck aren’t shortened or curved in any way.There is no ergonomically designed office chair that can force your body into the correct position it should be in. It’s up to your body and mind to sit in a a healthy manner.When it comes right down to it, finding the perfect office chair is all a matter of what’s best for the user concerned.Office chairs come in all different shapes and sizes, such as human body’s. If you try out several chairs, you’ll find the perfect chair for your particular body size. Another rule to remember is to ensure you adjust the chair to your height and not your office desks height, as 90 % of the time the height of the desk is not correct for the user. Look at height adjustable office furniture, which will work with the ergonomic chair you decide on using.

Many a philosopher has indeed considered this topic. And having been involved recently in an online think tank discussion of this subject matter, I would like to assist you in considering some of the points of this subject.

Personally, having removed myself from the equation and then studied this question the prior from another’s perspective; that is to say a “non-human” I would agree with the hypothetical conclusion of course that humans are indeed animals. Thus I have stated: “Humans are animals and nothing I have observed would preclude them from such classification. Certainly not the ties they wear or the tools they create or the thought they are capable of.”

However, I have witnessed some rather astounding things from a very small subset of humans, which is quite impressive of the average member of their groupings. So, having already thought on such hypothetical questions such as “what if an alien race came to explore Earth and then classified all mammals as animals and included the species of human in that grouping?” This question was asked in the online think tank and here are my thoughts on the issue.

Perhaps from my readings and understandings of Sci Fi authors like Issac Asimov and others, I have come to the same conclusion as the characters (that is to say aliens) in this hypothetical. The next part of the question is; “As a human, how does that make you feel?”

As far as feelings, I do not have feelings of this only that I concur with the conclusion of the hypothetical. Now that is not to say that another may not be devastated by such findings if they are or were so. I can understand the reluctance of the human ego to dismiss such notions of course, although emotions should not get in the way of reality or science.

Personally humans do not impress me, as much as they appear to impress themselves, as they so often remind themselves of their abilities, rather than building upon those abilities to make them better. However, that is not to say that the forward progression of the human race is non-existent, only that it is much slower than it could or should be considering their baseline average, which although not high, is high enough to really give them a head start towards greatness or the next evolutionary step. Is this subject too heavy for you? Okay, then class dismissed. However, I can tell you that there is a lot more where that came from if you care to seek answers on such issues. Consider this in 2006.

“Lance Winslow” - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

In the course of life, each person is the both the architect and builder. That means that every step of the way, we design and create our lives the way we want it. But what about the steps leading up to that? In other words, the million dollar question is: how do we know what we want to create in order to create it? This is probably the most common question I get as a coach, and, I believe the doorway to conscious living.

Well, the keys to that doorway lie in finding our purpose and/or passions. Ironically though, we also tend to tie that question often with the flow of money. Someone told me once to “do what I loved and the money would follow”. Well, after many years of pondering that statement, doing many things that I loved, and very little money following, I discovered that there was one vital problem - yes I loved to do a variety of things, but not everything that I loved automatically created an income flow for me. Especially in a way where I felt I could be contented and fulfilled, since I very much connected the two concepts. And I actually believe that all I had to do was “love” to do anything at all, and the money would just appear like a genie. NOT!

But what I did discover was this: that there is a difference between the things that you are passionate about and one’s purpose in life, sometimes both coming together, sometimes not. Money of course is a result of that, whether small or large amounts. Here’s an example of passion and purpose being separate: I can be passionate about being a superstar basketball player, but if I’m only 5 feet tall and no athletic inclinations whatsoever, then it is certainly not my purpose. And even though I could still choose to devote 100% of my energy because of my passion around it, it still wouldn’t net me a spot with the Harlem Globetrotters. It would also leave me broke and starving, since my all my energy would be going out towards this passion, but netting me nothing in return.

I believe there are four main keys to opening that doorway of discovery. Ask yourself these questions:

What are your gifts? These are the abilities you were born with that came naturally to you. You had no training, you were just good at them. For example, your physical abilities, your personality, your looks, the way you communicated or thought, ability to play a musical instrument. Think back to your childhood - what were you naturally good at - what came easily to you without any thought whatsoever? What did you enjoy? What did you love to do?

What are your strengths? These are your natural abilities or gifts that you have taken in your life and refined further.

What are your interests? These are areas usually associated with positive experiences from your past that you have chosen to develop and master.

What are you passionate about? What do you stand for? What do you value? These too are developed, however very often associated with challenges, hurdles or negative experiences from your past. For example, maybe you had a bad familial experience and it is what helped mold you into the person you are today. It may also be a cause you wish to take up, because of a challenge you had to face, and in turn channel that energy into something positive that may help others facing that same challenge.

Discovering the purpose is not often the passions that we have, however finding what we want usually involves bringing passion and purpose together. In order words, falling in love with your purpose. Your purpose is the responsibility that you have to contribute to others. Finding what your purpose is centers around your gifts first and foremost.

Somestimes the clues about your purpose are very often what we try and run away from, and yet comes back at us consistently. As the saying goes, “what we resist, persists”. If you take what your natural gifts and strengths allow you to experience, you can create and contribute in a way that allows you to add value to those around you.

Adding value is vital. It’s your contribution to society as well to yourself, in being fulfilled and having a consciously purposeful life. Ask yourself two more questions: If you found out that you only had three months to live, what would you do? What would you like to be remembered for? The answers may shock and surprise you.

The closer you are with using your gifts, the closer you are to finding what you desire, and therefore, your purpose, personal fulfillment and everything else that stems from that. I’m sure Tiger Woods would agree with that picture.

Coaching is certainly a tremendous tool to help one uncover their purpose and value to others. And working through life to get to the point where Purpose and Passion are connected is one of the fundamental aims of coaching.

So what are you waiting for? Start unlocking those doors. And let your purpose shine for the rest of the world to see!

Copyright 2005

Olena Gill is a life coach and owner of Indigo-Crystal Coaching Services in Errington, BC, Canada. She assists people in discovering their purpose and aligning actions with their vision. Visit http://www.indigocrystalcoach.com for more information.

When energy prices were low, it was unnecessary to justify the upfront investment of cash required to install solar panels, solar water heaters and similar equipment. The reason was simple to understand - it would simply take too long to recoup the cost of the equipment in the form of lower energy bills.

But that was then. As energy prices continue to go up, the amount of time required to recoup the upfront cost goes down. In addition, a number of state and local tax incentives make it even easier for homeowners to go solar and save money right away.

Solar power has already proven itself and its ability to lower energy costs substantially, and more and more homeowners are taking a serious look at converting their residences to solar power. The costs of installing solar panels is still high, with a typical two kilowatt installation of solar panels from OVR Solar costing at least £10,000 / ($20, 000) in most cases, but special tax incentives and long term energy savings can help homeowners recoup those upfront costs faster than ever before.

For example, the Federal government provides homeowners with a tax savings of up to 30% of the cost of a solar unit. This tax savings can help eligible homeowners recoup some of the costs of installing solar panels and solar water heating systems up front, in addition to the energy savings they will enjoy down the road.

Many states also provide special tax incentives for homeowners who install eligible solar panel and solar water heating systems. The specifics of these tax rebates and tax incentives vary from state to state, but many states provide at least some level of tax relief for homeowners who install and use energy efficient systems.

Try running some estimates once you have some figures to see how long it might take for you to break even at todays fuels prices.. However, as the prices for heating oil, gas and other forms of traditional energy continue to soar, so will demand for alternatives

Getting a band hand in poker is like having a bad break-up. A relationship with your cards becomes so important. Do I take a risk? Do I not bet? Should I call or check? It becomes a choice just like a romantic relationship.

The chips fall on the table and here is where your decision lays. As in a relationship, you are now dealt a hand in which choices need to make. Moving forward in a relationship could work, maybe not.

Your hand falters because of a river card you weren’t expecting. Same as in a relationship, an unexpected card in poker can ruin what you had planned for the whole hand. A break-up could result in the relationship. In poker, you may lose that hand or have no choice but to fold.

The break-up of a hand can be devastating, like a break-up of a relationship. A relationship you form with your hand and what you think you should do can result in disaster. If played wrong or if your cards turn bad, can produce that break-up you just don’t want.

Bluffing in poker is just like bluffing in a relationship. In poker, you are bluffing other players, in a relationship you maybe bluffing yourself or the other person. Is it possible to be bluffing too well to fool yourself? As in a relationship, poker can be a win or lose situation and perhaps a break-up.

Christmas may very well be the oldest holiday that is shared across the many cultures of the world; it is traditionally celebrated during the winter season (or even the warm summer season if you count Australia, where Christmas is celebrated as an official holiday).

Before Christmas was celebrated, people were finding time to celebrate in Europe during the winter holiday before the birth of Jesus Christ ever even occurred!

The Winter Solstice has always been a time to celebrate and rejoice; it is celebrated on December 21 in the northern hemisphere and it was after the Winter Solstice that the worst part of the year was behind them. It was at that point during the year that the days began to get longer, giving the people more time to spend outside on their crops and tending to their animals.

In Scandinavia during the Winter Solstice, men and their sons used to go in to the woods to cut a tree down. After the tree had been felled, a nicely sized log was cut out of it, and the men would carry the log back to the home. This log was dubbed a Yule Log, and the Yule log was burned in the fireplace. The entire time the Yule log burned, the family would feast. Often times the Yule log might burn for a whole twelve days! Of course, as the Yule log burned it sent sparks out of the hearth and as the sparks flew out of the fire place, the family would count the sparks and each spark stood for a farm animal (a cow, a goat, a pig, etc) that would be born on their property that year. It is important to note that farm animals were signs of wealth back then.

Saturnalia is a celebration of the Winter Solstice that occurred in ancient pagan Rome. Saturnalia was celebrated in honor of the god of agriculture, who was named Saturn. During the time of Saturnalia, the entire Roman empire is in a state of social disarray. Servants and peasants spend time with and celebrate the holiday with people of higher classes, which was a rarity back then.

The Saturnalia festival in itself can last as long as an entire week in Rome. During that time, people rejoiced all over the country of Rome. The phrase ‘eat, drink, and be merry’ was played out to its fullest. Shops and businesses are closed during the Festival of Saturnalia. Following the first week of Saturnalia, the festival itself usually ends, but the Saturnalia period itself does not end.

In addition to Saturn, the Roman god of agriculture, the Romans also worshipped an infant type god named Methra, who was carved out of a rock. On Mithra’s birthday, people also rejoiced, just as they did during Saturnalia. The day of this rock god’s birthday was one of the most sacred days of the year for the Roman people. It was a time for celebration and togetherness, and for family.

This article was presented by Christmas Fun