Gil's Blog

I got my first personal computer when I was 14, it was a ZX-81, with 1Kb of RAM. Yes, this is not a typo, 1Kb. There was no DOS at the time, certainly no PCs or Windows. When 3.1 came out, I was a bit disappointed, after seeing the Mac interface first, but adopted it nevertheless. More than two decades later, I was using XP for my desktop, and like everyone else, was pretty happy about it.

Then, last April, I decided to buy a new laptop. To my dismay, none were available with XP, so I got a Getaway with the new Vista on it. Problems started right away when I plugged-in my USB flash drive; instant crash! “Oh Well” I thought, that will probably be fixed in an update soon. Then, many programs I used simply did not run… The constant nagging of the OS got to me sometimes. I had all the pretty memory-consuming bells and whistles off, but the system would still freeze and be awfully slow, with 1Gb of RAM installed, and a dual-core Turion64 CPU; makes no sense at all…

The last straw was a regular disk cleanup. It was a cleanup all-right, my whole hard drive was wiped out! Vista erased itself, in a last moment of clarity, which turned out later as being the best thing it ever did. I packed my Vista CD and shipped it back to Microsoft to get a refund (wait until you find out how big a check they sent me!). In the meantime, I was trying to get an evaluation copy of X64 to run on my machine. Why not install a 64bit OS on a 64bit computer, right? Don’t do it! Not yet. Getting drivers was a nightmare, my SD card reader didn’t work, half of my USB ports didn’t work, and most of my software still didn’t work.

Just got a package from Microsoft! I thought it was maybe a Windows XP CD or a refund for Vista. I open the envelope, YES! There is a check in there: $1.39 (I double checked to make sure it wasn’t $139). They rob me, and now they insult me! I grabbed the phone, and after being on hold for a while and redirected a few times, I finally was able to explain my troubles, and got… Nothing. My software is “OEM” whatever the f**k that means, why should I care? The system says “Microsoft Vista,” not “Gateway Vista” or “Best Buy Vista.”

So, I find myself installing Ubuntu. The installation works fine, I answer a few questions, and what seems a fairly short time later, I am asked to reboot (note that you almost never have to reboot Linux after installing software). Startup sound! Sound works, I’m surprised I didn’t have to tinker with it. Holly Sh*t, I’m online! Ubuntu has found my wireless card all by itself. I don’t want to push my luck too far, but I’m about to try something I can’t dream will work (After trying on FreeBSD a few times and giving up), I plug in my USB printer… A few anxious seconds pass… Found it! ML1740, the test page spits out, incredible. I’m on a roll. I grab my digital camera, pop the SD card out and push it in the laptop card reader. Seconds later I am looking at my latest jam video, I don’t sound that great on the guitar, but it works. My key-chain follows, which is a USB flash drive, pop! On the screen. My head is spinning. This Ubuntu stuff works better than anything I’ve tried before. I am frantically trying to find something to plug-in, just to see if it works. Ah! My Ipod was trying to hide, pop! An Ipod icon appears on the screen. I need to go to the bathroom, but my Visor Edge PDA is laying on my night table. I install the cradle, push the Sync button, it synchronizes with my Evolution email client, all my Palm stuff is backed-up! All of this happened without having to install a single driver, tinker with any settings at all. I’m not saying you’ll never have to, but the Ubuntu forums are great for help, there is always someone with a ready answer.

I can say to Microsoft now, you have lost a customer. You are losing many because you didn’t care. Vista is in my opinion the worst operating system I have seen in 26 years of computing. This week I had to buy a new mouse for my desktop (It runs Ubuntu as well now), I went out of my way to buy a non-Microsoft mouse. I will never buy another Microsoft product. Linux is finally ready for the desktop, for home use and businesses.

Crappy Windows OS: $200. Ubuntu Linux: Priceless, literally!

Gil.

Did you know that what you wear aboard an airliner could make the difference between life and death in a crash? Or that turbulence could smash you on the ceiling out of a clear blue sky? What about blood clots? Here are ten things to consider to make your flight more pleasant and safer.

1. Always wear your seat belt when sitting. Wind shears can unexpectedly throw passengers out of their seats. sixteen people were hurt, two of them seriously, when a KLM passenger jet hit turbulence soon after take-off from a western Japan airport on May 31st. These incidents are not so rare. Sometimes, there is no warning and the pilot won’t have tie to turn the buckle-up sign on. People tend to forget that they are in an aluminium tube at 40,000ft. close to the speed of sound.

2. Do not wear highly flamable synthetic clothing. Many airplane accidents happen on the ground. Either the plane overshoots the runway, or hits an obstacle like a vehicle or another plane.
On October 31, 2000, a Boeing 747-400, attempted to take off from the wrong runway at Chiang Kai-Shek International Airport. Due to poor visibility, the flight crew did not see that construction equipment had been parked on the runway. The aircraft collided with the machinery and broke up into pieces. A massive fire followed. 79 of 159 passengers and 4 of 20 crew members died in the accident. Many modern fabrics will burst in flames in seconds. Wear jeans and cotton, and avoid the synthetics. It may buy you the few seconds you need to get out.

3. Choose your seats. There is no evidence I know of, pointing to where the safest seats are in an airliner. Airplane design varies, and circumstances are always different. It is interesting to note however that the black boxes are almost always located in the tail section of the airplane. Being seated close to an emergency exit might be the best option. Read your safety card and pay attention to the safety briefing given by the attendant. Make sure you know where the exits are, and how many rows of seats are between you and the doors.

4. Choose your airline. American and European airlines are pretty safe. Asia and Africa however is another story. The E.U. recently banned all airlines from Indonesia. Other bans are in effect for African and some Eastern European airlines. Make sure you pick the right company. You may pay a few dollars more, but the safety and peace of mind is well worth it. I once bought a ticket to Sydney from Paris through Philippines Airlines. My impression was that we had one stop in Bangkok, then Manila, then Sydney. We landed in Rome, Karachi, Bangkok, Manila, Melbourne, and finally Sydney. In Bangkok, the pilot slammed on the brakes, aborting the takeoff. Luggage flew out of the overhead bins, people screamed. We taxied back, and a guy with a ladder opened an engine cowling and started banging on something with a hammer.. We taxied back to the runway and took-off. I pretty much held my breath until we reached cruising altitude.

5. Walk around if you can. Flights lasting more than four hours about double a traveler’s risk of life-threatening blood clots, World Health Organization studies found. This condition can be fatal. The solution is to move around as much as you can, without upsetting everyone of course. Move your legs, tense and relax your mucles while maintaining good breathing. Taking a baby aspirin before the flight might be a good idea. Talk to your physician about medication or injections. My parents, when they come to the U.S. from France always get an injection before leaving, and they have a couple ready for their way back.

6. If the worst happen, have the will to live. I remember a TV show about the flight 006 tragedy mentioned above. A female survivor was being interviewed. She felt very bad because while the plane was on fire, and people actually tried to get their luggage over-head, she crawled over rows of seats and even other people to get out. She made it; those who were trying to get their bags did not. It’s not over until it’s over. A man named Alan Magee, a B-17 ball turret gunner, had no choice but to jump out of a disabled, spinning out of control bomber from about 22,000 feet, without a parachute. Miraculously, he lived! His story was featured in a 1981 Smithsonian Magazine on the 10 most amazing survivals during World War II. I believe MythBusters also had a show featuring his story.

7. Carry what you might need. New travel restrictions do not allow you to carry much of anything with you. Think of what you might need if the plane has to land anywhere between your departure and destination. That includes crash landings far from any airport or town. It also could be things you may need if you land at a smaller airport without any amenities. Most likely, your luggage will not be taken off the plane for a while. Is it cold? Do you need a jacket? Do you have cash? A phone? Everyone remembers the Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571, in 1972. A plane carrying 45 people crashed in the Andes. Of the 27 who survived the first 24hrs, 16 made it alive after 72 grueling days. See the book by Piers Paul. Alive: Sixteen Men, Seventy-two Days, and Insurmountable Odds — The Classic Adventure of Survival in the Andes. I bet there are a few things they wished they had taken along, had they known.

8. Look for suspicious behavior. Unfortunately, since 9/11, we have to be vigilant. I wouldn’t suggest being too jumpy. Like last December, when an American Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing after a passenger lit a match to disguise the scent of flatulence! However, if the guy in front of you starts connecting wires to something, or tries to get something on fire, don’t wait too long.. If the plane is hijacked, if you are young and strong, keep in mind that a sharp pencil or pen makes a wonderful weapon (remember #7). If the Sh%t hits the fan, revert to #6.

9. Have ear plugs. If any of the above happens, you can always isolate yourself with good earplugs! Or most likely, to dampen nearby cries from an unhappy todler, or the roar of the engines right on your left. I use those yellow small foam plugs I always buy when going shooting. Since they work pretty well to protec my ears when firing a 9mm, I figure that anything less would be fine. If you have enough money, Bose has noise canceling headphones that work. Silence is bliss. It can be the difference between a few hours of sleep or a hellish noisy flight.

10. Relax. It might be easy to say, but you’re on a ride you have no control over. There is nothing for you to worry about since there isn’t much you can do about it. Be nice to other passengers and attendants, it will make your flight so much better. I used to take a Xanax before a flight, it made it easier to sleep in those cramped seats (I.m 6′2”). Talk to your physician, don’t buy stuff off the internet. And of course, at the moment of impact, your body will take much more of a beating without failing if you’re relaxed! That I learned in my Systema martial art class.. Too much stress, you might get a blood clot!

Fly safe!

Gil.