The Sony "rootkit" fiasco

Was everyone out to lunch on the day Sony came up with this brilliant plan? The v.p. for public relations must not have been around because anyone in that position would immediately ask how such a system would be perceived by the company's clients. The v.p. for technology just not have been in the office that day because anyone in that position would have pointed out the dangers inherent in the scheme. The v.p. for legal affairs must have been home sick because anyone in that position would have immediately recognized the liability the company would face.

In the past, I've purchased quite a bit of Sony hardware and some of the company's CDs. Although I won't say that I'll never purchase anything with the Sony or BMG name on it, I do know that it's going to be quite some time before I even consider it.

When will companies learn that copy protection inconveniences high-volume pirates not at all? When will they realize that schemes such as this one hurt only the people who have chosen to play by the rules and buy the company's products?

Making the kitty appear to have a big butt

You may have been wondering how to make it appear that your kitty has a big butt so that when you take his (or her) picture kitty will be embarrassed.

It's easy.

First, it's a good idea to choose a cat that actually has a big butt to begin with.

Next, position the camera so that the kitty's big butt is as close to the camera as possible and kitty's head is as far away as possible. Using a wide-angle lens is a good idea, too.

This is Tangerine. To see a larger version of the picture, click the image.

Liberal commie pinko freak cop hater?

Not exactly.

Today my brother-in-law called. My niece wanted to go home to Wheeling from Columbus, but had no gas money. Would I meet her at a gas station and fill the car with gas? Sure. I'd been planning to leave work early, anyway, because the allergy that causes my nose to run every year about this time was operating in full force today.

Background: The niece and her boyfriend have a 4-month-old baby. The guy (I had never met him) seemed to be overly controlling and somewhat manipulative.

I called my niece, Monica, and we arranged to meet at a gas station near her apartment.

I went to the gas station. No niece. 20 minutes later, no niece. I drove to her apartment. The car was there, but wasn't packed. I knocked on the door. Silence. I used the cell phone to call. No answer.

So I called the Columbus Police Department. They sent 2 officers, who arrived within about 20 minutes (not bad for a non-emergency call). I noted that one had an "intervention" insignia on his shirt. I described the situation to them and noted that the "male half" (police lingo) had had some run-ins with the police.

I also noticed that one of the officers had donned sunglasses so that I couldn't observe his eyes. That made me look to the sky when I talked to him.

The officer with the intervention insignia knocked on the apartment door. No answer. He tried the door. It was unlocked. Both officers entered, guns at the ready. (Neat trick: Finger over the peep-hole so the person inside can't see who's outside, but I always thought that the officers stood off to the side, not in front of the door. I stood off to the side, behind a brick wall.)

My niece was at home. Her boyfriend was at home. We now had two police officers, my niece, the guy, the baby, and me inside the apartment. As if on queue, the rental agent showed up to see if any help was needed. It wasn't. She left.

The officers handled the next 20 minutes with outstanding class and style. The niece wanted to leave but the boyfriend, a world-class control freak, played mind games flawlessly while holding the baby.

The officers explained the law to the boyfriend, who continued to play mind games. Eventually they gave the guy an ultimatum: "Give her the baby. Give her the baby now." He did. When he realized that he was losing the mind game to people who had real minds, Derrick tried verbal abuse; then he switched back to the "poor little me" approach. Then, "How can she take MY baby?" and finally, the "I'll be good" approach. He was trying every chord he knew, but they were all sour.

One of the officers asked the genius "What part of 'the mother has full custodial rights' was unclear to you?"

The niece packed and left, giving the mind-control freak all the money she had and her cell phone in the process. The guy left.

Then he made the mistake that is so common to boneheads: He came back. Why do they always talk themselves into going to jail?

So that left the bonehead headed for jail and, at long last, the niece headed for home with the kid. The money and the cell phone Monica had given the jerk was back in her possession, along with both apartment keys.

Before she left, the officers explained to the niece that the guy was simply playing mind games. That he was a controller. They also explained that if they had to come back, Children's Services would come along, too, and that nobody would like the outcome of that because the kid would be taken away from them.

This is a situation that could have become far uglier than it did. It's the kind of situation that could have ended with somebody injured or worse.

The two Columbus police officers worked well together -- explaining, cajoling, being understanding, and threatening as was appropriate -- to resolve the situation peacefully.

Liberals don't dislike the cops and I'm not sure why anyone thinks we do. Today two officers from the Columbus Police Department did what needed to be done. They did it well. And I'm not at all reluctant to thank officers John Wish (badge 2266) and Darren Egelhoff (badge 1843) for what they did.

As of this evening, the niece is back in Wheeling and even smiling occasionally. Chalk up one for the good guys!

Follow-up from Sunday, November 13

Monica and her father came back to Columbus today to take the first load of her belongings back home. They've given the apartment manager 30 days' notice. Between Friday and Sunday, there's been a remarkable change. There will be another trip to get the larger things and challenges remain, but everyone is more optimistic now that the storm has passed.