WE ARENT IN DUBLIN ANYMORE….

Day 3 has come and gone and ill actually be getting up in 5 hours to continue the adventure…lets just hope its less bumpy than today….Well since I last Blogged, I had a choice – option A go to Belfast on the 1:20pm train cause I had already missed the 11am train…damn sleep is good sometime or Option B – wander around Dublin some more and catch the 3:20 train to Belfast. I went with option B….hindsite being 20/20 oops my bad.

So I wandered around Dublin, took the tour of Dublin Castle which is the first place I actually went inside. I dont know I am sure the Churches are great but I just like the outsides…After the tour with our cute Irish tour guide it was now what time so I decided to head to St Patricks Cathedral and again wandered down and around the outside and took some pictures. There is a nice park there as well took some more pics. Its amazing how green it is in the winter…its just like Connecticut oh wait its white everywhere there and everything is dead…

So after doing that I headed back to my hotel to grab my suitcase and off to the train station and belfast…I took a cab best 10 euros I ever spent man my leg muscles are kiling me. I was able to quickly get my ticket and get to the right place for the train and pass out…one problem…I knew I had to change over my money BUT I didnt think about the time when I got to Belfast. you know you need POUNDS in Belfast not EUROS or DOLLARS….so here is where the spectical began. My hotel no where near the train station. I have 0 pounds. So I am thinking there has to be one nearby its a train station. HA…that would be logical. I go to the ATM with my ATM card. The ATM machine ate my card. So now my back is really up against the wall did I mention the train was late? got in closer to 5:30. So I ask information he says got to go to center of town. here I am backpack on 50lb suitcase trailling trying to figure it out. One good thing. My train ticket got me a free ride on the bus downtown…otherwise well I dont want to know what favors I would have had to offer.

I get downtown and well I have no idea where anything is. So I see a nice police officer, I go up to him and tell him and he looks at his watch and says um yeah you are in trouble. I said thanks im aware but I have no options…He tells me I have to take the 61 bus to my hotel. I said thanks but I need money to do that. At this point I am like what the hell am I doing…what a moron I am…He says try the belfast information center about two lights down on the left but it might be closed. I already know im not putting my only credit card I have left on me into an ATM machine…So I run quick like a bunny to the BELFAST welcome center and guess what? ITS CLOSED. There is a security guard on the inside. I know he says we are closed and then slightly opens the door to give me a map. I said here is my problem…he says right across the street in that department store. I was very thankful and ran across the street still lugging suitcase and backpack. I get up to the 2nd floor and exchange some cashola for poundage. The lady is really nice she actually lives near where I have to go. She tells me the stop etc. So I get on the bus and I make sure its the right one..bus driver was a douche so I have no idea which stop is mine.

Here is where being Aaron comes in handy. I am on the bus trying to look out for landmarks the lady at the exchange place told me. And this Mom comes on with her two kids the daughter is in the stroller beautiful blue eyes she waves at herself in the mirror. I laugh then she drops her bottle I quickly grab it and hand it to the mom who thanks me. The little girl looks up at me and smiles so I wave and smile you know kids love me for some reason. So I ask the Mom if she knows where the street I need is. She does but doesnt know where on that street my place is. I said just get me off the right stop ill do the rest. This nice older women is sitting near us and tells me its right across from the busstop. I said thank you again. And then when we get to the stop a female probably a little younger than me tells me this is your stop. And right there I can see where I am staying. THANK GOD I SAY.

So I arrive at his bed and breakfast type place that according to google maps was near the venue. Yeah if by near you mean the stadiums in Philadelphia are NEAR the center of the city. So I realise I now need a cab. The lady who checked me in was very nice. She gets me all set up in my room…calls for a cab..and sets me up for a cab in the morning.

I basically throw all my stuff down print out my confirmation number again just in case and head to the show.

Dave was amazing again. Not as good overall as last night but I did get LIE IN OUR GRAVES…which is one of my favorite all time songs as well as some others that were great. The security guards were camera NAZIs so I didnt get but like 3 pics. I did see a lady there who was with her husband and their son who I also saw in Dublin. So I talked to her before the show and she said they were wedding photographers and used their professional camera in DUBLIN…so I told her she had to email me. She gave me her card said email me and remind me where we met and the pics are yours. JACKPOT BABY!!!!

There was a nice couple who sat next to me during the show. There were from Belfast and we were talking about my trip Belfast, Ireland Etc. Very nice people. After the show I walked to the center of town like the people at my place told me and found a cab. very nice cabby too unlike the guy who took me to the show he was grumpy. Well now its 8pm your time and when I uploaded my pics my wireless popped up so you got a bonus blog.

So far I have been online less than 30 mins a day without a cell phone and havent watched anything on TV besides the two futbol games while I was in the Bar Sunday night and yes I am still surviving for all you doubters out there.

Tomorrow is another adventure back to dublin to jump on a train to Galway and oh yeah meeting up with my friend Lisa Gerard who I havent seen since high school when we swam together. Should be a blast…till next time this GUINNESS IS FOR YOU..though I didnt have one today unless you could 1am….well ok I didnt have one since I last went to bed….ill make up for it tomorrow.

WHEN IN ROME DONT ACT LIKE CAESAR

That is one of the memorable quote from Dave Matthews last night at the show. He was amazing. That was a response to someone yelling out SUNDAY BLOODY SUNDAY….Dave chose not to cover of the the greatest rock stars of all time in his hometown.

The venue was very small I was damn close even though I was diagonal. It was just him and Tim. Dave entertained the crowd with random stories and of course a great set list. He played three unreleased songs – cornbread, sister and Cant Stop. He also let Tim jam it out. He kept telling everyone how he was going to die and we could say we were there. He closed with Two Step..here is the song list. I dont remember the order and this is the best I can find online right now.

Satellite
Ants Marching
Dancing Nancies
Crash
Two Step
#41
Crash Into Me
Don’t Drink the Water
Crush
Busted Stuff
Grace Is Gone
Bartender
Everyday
Gravedigger
Save Me
Stay or Leave
Some Devil
Dodo
So Damn Lucky
Old Dirt Hill
Smooth Rider
Sister
Can’t Stop
Corn Bread

Before the show I wandered around Dublin….saw the outside of a couple churches then off to the park and down grafton street through the shopping district. Then I got hungry and walk into this bar and who do you think was in there? Yes the same two Englishmen I had met the night before of all the places I stop to eat. They were staying across the street and heading home shortly. So I wished them luck sat down had a Guinness and Club Sandwich. After that I wandered some more, I hit up Trinity College, great campus.

After wandering around all day I headed to the Dave show. Once I got there, took a cab, I met a group from Vegas and from California. I felt better about coming all the way to Ireland and seeing Dave Matthews. Then when I sat in my seats I was next to this couple who had come in from Texas they didnt make it out the night that I did so they got in yesterday. The are from the top of Texas though I dont remember the name haha. She gave me her email address and told me if I get some pics tonight to send them her way.

After that I left the venue and finding a cab was not happening so I just started walking back, oh did I mention this was my first Ireland Rain experience, mom the coat worked great, I made it home and underneath my jacket was completely dry and so was the limited edition post I bought, which was most important. After getting back to the hotel it was midnight and most of the restaurants were closed so I wandered off to Temple Bar area to find something. I wandered into a Bar that had a club in the basement. I knew it was open and well I wasnt ready to pass out yet.

In the bar was a irishman covering American Music…yeah it was bad…anyone that covers SAVE TONIGHT by EAGLE EYE CHERRY and I WOULD WALK A THOUSAND MILES…well you get the point. I was thinking of heading home when I was done my second beer of the night when a guy orders a Budweiser next to me. Oh before we get there I forgot there were some cute girls in the bar but I couldnt talk to them. Not cause I didnt have the guts but because they were deaf. Ok so this guy orders a Bud and I was wow…didnt say anything just thinking in my head. He introduces himself he actually lives in dublin and is a Marine Biologist. He works 8 months out of the year and makes about 40K euros, not a bad deal. We hung out and had some beers then went to the club and this is more for Kendra and Kim but they played Smack That and Hips Dont Lie back to back…seriously stop stalking me. So Alan, my new friends name, looks at me and Sarah dont laugh too loud, but he says, “im not racist or anything like that but are you JEWISH????” I almost lost it. I said yes I am partially. He said its your accent…..whatever that means. Clearly I look Jewish. This time when I left the bar I knew how to get home See I am learning…

Thats a good start. The next leg of the journey is upon me…BELFAST…DAVE…HERE WE GO AGAIN……

the first 24 hours in Dublin

After the taking off disaster..I was finally in Dublin….I went to my hotel got settled then it was out for some entertainment.

I first stopped off at International Bar had a Guiness but there wasnt much going on there…there was a comedy show but I didnt really come all the way to Ireland to see a comedy show I wanted some live musical entertainment. Worst thing I saw at International Bar was someone ordering a Budweiser, I mean come on now…So I left International Bar to look for some food and live entertainment.

I stumbled upon a bar called O’Neills because outside of it there was sign that said live musical entertainment tonight…wow thats just what I need. So I walked in and found some food, ham mashed potatoes peas carrots and cabbage with some gravy. The food was good as was the cabbage which I havent really ever had before. So I sat down at a booth and ate my dinner with a beer..Smithwicks to be exact.

As I sat there after eating and watched Football, the kind with the round ball people…I started to feel the jetlag kicking in as my eyes started to droop and I was thinking about calling it an early night to catch up on sleep, when all of a sudden this older gentleman comes up and asks is he and his buddy could share the booth, I figured why not. The older man whose name was lost in the upcoming drinking said hope we dont ruin your evening, I said impossible and it only got more entertaining.

His brother in law was with him and sat across from me he asked who won the first match? ask if they tied nil nil…I said no there were two late goal 1-1 tie. The the older man sat down and asked me who I root for. I knew I was in trouble. I said I didnt really follow. He said just tell me you root for Liverpool, his brother in law said no no…I told them they dont want me rooting for their teams because every team I root for loses.

We had a couple guinesses together, they are both from England. They told me I should visit there next, who knows maybe next year. yes Mom I know you want to go. The older man told me he lives right near where William Shakespeare is from. I told him my mom would be proud. The highlight of the night with them came when the older man came back with two beers I wasnt keeping up at this point and he went to sit down on his stool and completely missed it. HILARIOUS…I didnt laugh though. He was fine and somehow managed only to spill about a quarter of each beer. They left after that round and then I heard something from upstairs…MUSIC.

I went up and had another guinness which I didnt really drink before now but it tastes so good when it hits your lips…This was a small local band who plays there every sunday night three guys with an accordian guitar and banjo, now this is what I had been looking for. Then when the bar closed I started to walk home and realised I didnt really remember how to get home. So I caught a cab and headed home…ok off to my new adventure and Dave Matthews tonight.

ILL MISS YOU GRANDMOM

This past week has probably been one of the hardest for me in a while…work has been crazy…my second semester of grad school is starting and on the first day my grandmom had a heart attack. after class I was able to drive to jersey and see her in the hospital…she made it through the first 24 hours which are the most touch and go and improved a little during the week till she hit a wall just over a week later here I am sitting here trying to understand it all.

I really do appreciate how lucky I am to have such a great family. We were all in town today to say our goodbyes as we knew it was time to take grandmom off the ventilator. my heart is truly with my grandfather right now who after 65 years doesnt have his partner in crime. They were that old couple you see walking at the park or boardwalk that you think to yourself, when I get that old I want to be that cute.

It has been a rough couple weeks and I am sure the viewing and funeral will hit me pretty hard as well. My parents are divorced and remarried and this is my step dads mom but if you ever told her that I wasnt her grandson watch out.

From day 1, she took me as her one of her favorites and never let me forget that.

She also never let me forget when as a young kid about age 7 I crawled under the table while they were all playing cards and heard my grandmother swear and poppy probably cause he was messing up something they had going in pinnochle. What did I do? Well what any young child would do….OOOOOOOOOOOOOO WHAT GRANDMOM SAID!!! to this day I say she is the one who taught me any swear word I use. This is the same women who could pray the rosary while watching the Phillies…look up swear at them and look back down and start right where she left off as if they didnt interfere with each other.

I will miss her dearly but I will always treasure the time we did spend together….88 years strong she was and certainly helped me become the person I am today.

PICTURE SLIDE SHOW BLOG…IT SUX BEING A PHILLY SPORTS FAN

PEOPLE ARE WATCHING AND LOOKING….

I’ve got Ted Turner’s social security number here, along with Rush Limbaugh’s home address and a couple of phone numbers for Bob Dole.” (The control revolution, Ch 15 Privacy for Sale, pg 158) is the opening line by Andrew Shapiro in one of the assigned readings, if that doesn’t catch your attention, I don’t know what will.

I have been using the internet heavily since I started undergrad and haven’t stopped since. I purchase items online, have a Myspace, a Facebook and manage and pay almost all my bills online and I am not overly concerned about identity theft online or someone getting my information, but after reading this article maybe I should, but I don’t think I will change how I do things. I am careful with what I do online and what sites I do it on. I also know better than to click on bogus emails and download random programs.

With the increased usage and dependence on the internet, the ability to find someone has gotten a lot easier. You can go to Google if you have someone’s phone number type it in and boom, up pops their name and address. You can search for former class mates on Myspace or Facebook, see recent pictures of them, find out where they work and where they live, if they have put all that information up there. You can even go to Google Earth and zoom in on someone’s house. The question is where is the line and when does it stop?

In the article by Katie Hafner, she talks about the data collection AOL conducted and released. Hafner states “Although the 650,000 AOL users were not personally identified in the data, the logs contained enough information to discern an individual’s identity in some cases” (Researchers Yearn to Use AOL Logs, but They Hesitate, pg 1). I can imagine there were a lot of unhappy subscribers AOL had to deal with who had their identity discovered. People hide a lot of things from their friends, family and coworkers. Think about the possibilities, some people could have had dark secrets discovered about them ranging from their behind closed door behaviors to interests they may not want people knowing. It can be the cause of embarrassment, shame and maybe for some a new beginning.

Tracking internet usage and searches is something that is scary depending how the information is used. You don’t know why someone is searching the internet. There are a number of key words that will raise red flags but there is no way to determine how or why this person is using the information. Maybe they are searching for the wrong reasons, but maybe they are just curious or maybe they are taking a Porn Class on their campus and if that information got into the wrong hands it could be damaging to that person lifestyle or career.

Is there a solution to this problem right now? Is it really a problem? I would say it can be but it depends on the person. One “Red Flag” Andrew Shapiro talked about was privacy protection belonging to individuals, “leaving piracy protection solely to individuals could be highly inefficient”(pg 161). I could not agree more. A lot of privacy issues that occur on the internet are because people are not careful with what information they share and where they store it.

There are a lot of internet users that believe what they put up on the internet won’t be found or attributed to them. People put up some very personal information about themselves their friends and their families in blogs and other web sites like Myspace or Facebook, yet they think its private or believe no one can find it. This just in, they can.

There was an episode of Sex and the City where Carrie, I believe it was, searches for someone on Google. This was the first time I had ever seen this done. Of course I went and searched for my name right away and was amazed about the information that was out there on me. I know my sister has “Googled” someone she went out with or met out to see if they are hiding any secrets, so it might be good to know what is out there about you on Google, just in case, especially if you have a common name like Bill Smith.

I think internet privacy will continue to evolve overtime and I am sure there will be more slip ups like the AOL Logs, but this is a growing concern that is being addressed to some extent as technology advances. The best advice is to be careful what you put on the internet and try to keep your information as private as possible. If you don’t want something listed and it is contact the site and have it removed.

Not sure if this shocks me…or is to be expected…I thought it would be higher honestly

PHILADELPHIA (AP) – A U-S government study says about one
percent of Web sites indexed by Google and M-S-N are sexually
explicit. And six percent of random search queries yield at least
one sexually explicit site.
Government lawyers introduced the study in court this month as
the Justice Department seeks to enforce the 1998 Child Online
Protection Act. It would criminalize allowing children to access
“harmful” material.
But the American Civil Liberties Union says the study supports
their argument that filters work well. The study shows the
strictest filter blocks 91 percent of the sexually explicit Web
sites.
Justice Department lawyers Theodore Hirt and Raphael Gomez
declined to comment on that finding.

(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

YOU TUBE TO THE RESCUE….

FBI Investigation Prompted by Video of Man Being Beaten by Police Shows Power of YouTube.com
By ALEX VEIGA, Associated Press Writer

LOS ANGELES — An FBI investigation prompted by video footage of a man being punched repeatedly in the face by police has demonstrated anew the power of the Internet sensation of the year, YouTube.com.

In addition to being a monumental time-waster around the office, YouTube could also become a tool for keeping police honest, some say.

This week, a clip on the post-it-yourself video Web site triggered a police-brutality investigation by the FBI. The footage shows the Aug. 11 arrest of alleged gang member William Cardenas, 24. Two Los Angeles officers can be seen holding him down on a Hollywood street; one punches him several times in the face before they are able to handcuff him.

The Los Angeles Police Department is also investigating the officers’ conduct.

Police Chief William J. Bratton said he found the video to be “disturbing,” but stressed that the 20-second clip amounts to only a fraction of what transpired.

The Los Angeles Times reported Friday that a Superior Court commissioner viewed the video nearly two months ago, heard the officers’ testimony, and concluded that their conduct was “more than reasonable” because Cardenas was resisting.

Cop Watch LA, a police watchdog group, posted the video on YouTube, said organizer Joaquin Cienfuegos. Cienfuegos said the video was shot by a neighbor of Cardenas with a cell phone camera. The neighbor gave it to Cardenas’ family, who then gave it to Cop Watch, according to Cienfuegos.

In recent months, videos posted on YouTube have rocked political campaigns, brought fame _ or infamy _ to previously unknown talents and cast unwanted attention on the gaffes of the famous. YouTube and similar video sites are also increasingly becoming repositories for videos that purport to detail wrongdoing by police.

Such amateur clips help cast a spotlight on police wrongdoing that could otherwise go unreported, said Ramona Ripston, executive director of the ACLU of Southern California.

“Unless we throw light onto activities of government, all activities, you never find out what happened,” Ripston said. “This video is an example.”

Police said Cardenas had been wanted on charges of receiving stolen property. In an arrest report obtained by The Associated Press, the officers said they tried to arrest Cardenas after spotting him on the sidewalk, but Cardenas ran.

The officers caught up to him, tripped him and swarmed over him to apply handcuffs, the report said. In their report, they admitted hitting him repeatedly in the face, saying that he was resisting and that they feared he might grab one of their guns.

Cardenas suffered cuts and bruises on his arms, leg and face, and received stitches on an eyelid. His attorney, B. Kwaku Duren, accused the officers using excessive force.

Police spokesman Lt. Paul Vernon said Friday that such videos often do not show the whole story.

“The officers’ actions in these situations are based on the totality of what is going on in the officers’ mind,” Vernon said. “You don’t know in the total context of this what occurred.”

As of Friday, the clip had received more than 155,000 views on YouTube. It was posted on Oct. 18.

A search on YouTube for the terms “police brutality” found more than 500 videos, including ones that claim to show police violence in the U.S. and as far away as Egypt and Hungary. A search of Google’s video site also yielded hundreds of videos.

In response to the surge in amateur videos, some law enforcement agencies have installed cameras in squad cars to protect officers against false allegations.

Police defense attorney John Barnett said the public shouldn’t draw conclusions when watching the clip of Cardenas’ arrest. Barnett represented one of the officers in the 1991 Rodney King beating and an Inglewood police officer, Jeremy Morse, who was videotaped roughing up a 16-year-old boy.

Two juries deadlocked in Morse’s case, and four officers were acquitted in the King trial, touching off riots in Los Angeles.

“It’s very difficult to find jurors who haven’t already come to a conclusion,” Barnett said. “The public has the perception of what the facts are, but you have to figure out a way to get them back to square one.”

Legal observers said the public has become somewhat desensitized to questionable police tactics caught on tape because such videos have become more prevalent since the King beating. In many cases, officers have been exonerated.

“The first reaction by people is one of outrage,” said Eugene O’Donnell, a professor of police studies at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City. “But the more you see police officers using force on tape, the more you get used to it.”

SOURCES:
COX.NET

SPEAKING OF PATENTS

Ran across this Patent request this morning thought it was interesting after the conversation we had in class

The Mobile ESPN Patent
Posted by James Pearce Thu 09 Nov 2006 06:17 PM MacNN is reporting that Disney has filed a patent covering the delivery of ESPN content to mobile phones and devices, which he uses to argue for a possible ESPN-branded iPod, or at least ESPN content on a wireless iPod. And of course it covers phones as well, probably for the MVNO or the latter licensing system. Yet I’m confused…
“Disney describes that the content that will be made available on their new mobile GUI will correspond to sports-related content provided by Mobile ESPN, such as RealTime scores, sports-related news, commentary, video and statistics, software applications, e.g., for managing fantasy sports teams, and other sports-related content.”
I’m not sure what possible good a patent for the delivery of ESPN content will do, since Disney controls the availability of ESPN content via copyright anyway. It seems this patent is functionally useless.

Source: moconews.net

RESPONSE PAPER

VCR – been there done that, Napster – most of my college I enjoyed the perks of free music, DVD player – but of course, Tivo – LOVE IT.

While looking at the presentation “Rip, Mix, Burn, Sue: Technology, Politics, and the Fight to Control Digital Media by Professor Edward Felten”, I found myself guilty of using all the “tremors” that Professor Felten spoke about and am eager to hear feel the full effect of the “main earthquake” he talks about.

When I was in my undergrad, Napster was the best way to get music you did not already have and burn a CD to enjoy the latest music that was out. I did not see a problem with it because for years I had bought CD’s for just one song and it was a waste of money, so why not get some free music? I was owed it right? Clearly things have changed since my college days and I know Napster or the free Napster I used is no longer legal. People still try to go around this, but it is illegal. I think paying a dollar or so for a song is not that bad of a cost; however, I have yet to buy a new song. As an avid concert fan, I have felt the effects of declining music sales as concert tickets continue to rise to unbelievable levels. In fact if you check for tickets for the Rolling Stones, you can see the ranges are from $60 for way up top nosebleed sheets to $500 for on stage tickets. I understand as time goes on tickets prices will increase but I think the significant rise I have experienced in my pocket is a direct result of more and more people staying away from purchasing music and getting it from other resources. Just for the record, I would not pay to see the Rolling Stones they just do not do it for me.

By far the most useful product in my life that Professor Felten talked about is Tivo. In my household alone there are 3 Tivo machines and a DVR that will record different shows almost daily between my housemates and me. I personally record the least amount. I only have a handful of shows that I watch on a weekly basis, but my one housemate Tivo’s up to 12 shows a week and some overlap. Working the hours that I do some nights some days and never the typical 9a-5p, I am grateful for my Tivo. I understand some people in the television industry worrying about people’s dependence on Tivo but if they take a step back they will realize the benefits outweigh the negative. Yes I have the option to skip commercials but there are times I forget or something will catch my eye and ill watch it anyway. If I did not have a Tivo, Id never watch the show or possibly see the commercial even if part of my job is to watch television, its all sports though you do not Tivo sporting events for the most part.

The response to Tivo in the television industry has been mixed. I remember a couple years back ESPN started shows at random times so people could not use their Tivo’s to record the shows because they would miss parts. Well Tivo technology has surpassed that point and is smarter now and ESPN stopped doing that with their shows as well. People have also changed the way they watch TV shows in reaction to what their Tivo can do. A co-worker of mine will actually start watching shows like 24 and LOST till about 15 minutes in so he can just keep skipping commercials and keeping the action flowing.

Near the end of his presentation, Professor Felten talks about the “earthquake” which is a “universal digital machine” he says “Consumers will be better off, gaining more control over their use of media, more control over what they can do in consuming artifacts of our culture.” I think getting more control for the consumer is a good thing for business if they can properly read and react to how the consumer is using the technology. It also forces the hand of those in the advertising community to step it up and make me want to watch their commercial. Thing of every commercial like a Super Bowl commercial, most people do not skip those, in fact some people Tivo the Super Bowl just so they can go back and watch the commercial.