10 things about computers learned from the movies

I've been reading a "Best Technology Writing" compilation, and 
while I don't love every piece, there' have been some really fun 
ones. I liked this one, especially:

By LARRY O'BRIEN
 
TOP 10 THINGS I'VE LEARNED ABOUT COMPUTERS FROM THE MOVIES AND ANY
EPISODE OF 24


*1. Megapixels aren't important:* What determines the resolution of a
photograph or audio recording is the "enhancement" algorithm run on it.
Any image, when run through the proper enhancement, will reveal
sufficient detail to recognize a face, read a license plate, and so on.
 
*2. Computer screens output text at 4,800 baud and make chirping sounds
while doing so:* Sometimes, computers can be revved up to 9,600 baud,
and sometimes, for instance when printing the names of conspirators,
slow to 300 baud. There is a great deal of variety in the sound
computers make when outputting text, though. It used to be a sound
reminiscent of a line printer, but modern computers seem to implement a
more "boop boop boop" approach. Oh, and most computers output in a 16 ×
9 font.
 
*3. All computer systems have back doors:* Hackers can get into any
system by way of "back doors" that are left by the people who originally
designed the system. The password of the back door is generally the name
of the programmer's daughter.
 
*4. There are wire-frame schematics of every building on Earth:* These
schematics interface with a wide variety of sensor and alarm systems.
They can be manipulated in real time and are infinitely zoomable (see #1
in this list).
 
*5. Decryption works one character at a time, while the other
characters cycle quickly through all possibilities:* Face detection
algorithms work the same way, as do most search algorithms. Oh, and
every time a detail is revealed, the computer makes a beep. You know,
really, most times a computer makes a partial computation, it makes a
beep.
 
*6. It takes 10 minutes to break into a system:* A computer expert will
first play coy, saying that they don't know how long it will take. Then,
in a few minutes, they'll reveal that they can get in, but they'll need
a few minutes more (damn it).
 
*7. The U.S. government surveils the entire planet, in real time, and
keeps the tapes:* At first, this seemed implausible to me, but then I
realized that they probably have a couple dozen Webcams in orbit and use
enhancement.
 
*8. People generally keep incriminating evidence in folders organized
by code name:* However, they often encrypt them (see #5). Oh, and
computers erase data at 300 baud, in reverse (see #2).
 
*9. Powerful people have Webcams that record from the middle of their
displays:* You and I dart our eyes back and forth between the Webcam and
our own screen. Powerful people have intense video conversations while
staring straight into the camera, and, therefore, the Webcams must be
recording from the middle of their screen.
 
*10. Powerful people have access to very powerful PDAs:* The mobile
computers used by powerful people not only support full video, they have
access to the real-time wire-frame schematics, decryption and
enhancement algorithms, and so forth. Oh, and they can read any data in
any device. Oh, and as phones? They have awesome coverage.

Blessed

Just like dieters tend to want to join groups or have dieting buddies to support them in their weight-loss, I make an effort to surround myself-- both on and off-line-- with people who are body positive, fat activists, people interested in HAES and so on. When I start feeling discouraged, like I'm yelling into a void or that I'm the only sane person on earth, I remind myself of all the cool fat-poz people I get to interact with right here in LJ Land!

I've had my personal size acceptance hero Sandy Szwarc of Junk Food Science comment on my personal LJ in the past, and not too long ago, HAES proponent Linda Bacon commented on an entry I made at the HAES community I co-moderate here. I've also had another size positivity hero Peggy Elam comment on the no_more_diets community I help run on LJ. Another person (who I'm not sure would want to be named) was a long-time size acceptance hero that I admired from afar and is now on my friends list-- I even think she friended me first!

Additionally, there are a variety of people on my LJ or in person that I've gotten to know better and who have become heroes to me over time because of the way they inspire me to examine the obesity crisis propaganda, or take care of myself in ways that honor my body or attempt to be physically bold at the size I am right now.

There are even a few people on my friends list who have had weight loss surgery or who have lost a lot of weight with dietary changes and exercise that I find inspiring. You might think I would shun them, but I don't, because in each case these LJ friends are wise about certain aspects of body image and societal issues around weight and fat. I might not agree with them on every point, but they are generous and thoughtful and inspire me to think deeper and have compassion for other people's struggles and other people's choices.

When I think of all you wonderful people (yes, I mean you!), I feel truly blessed.

Cool presidential move

There's been a fair amount of press coverage and LJ entries by friends about some of President Obama's early actions, such as his executive order about shutting down Guantanamo Bay and the memorandum about increased fuel efficiency.

Less-noted but incredibly important: Obama has declared that openness in government should be the default. This is beyond "Freedom of Information Act". It doesn't just say you can fight the government to have closed documents opened, but that most documents should be open to public scrutiny in the first place. This is huge for journalists but also for the general public.

There's some good discussion of the issue in general here, and a call to ask state government to be equally open here. On a related note, I recommend Free the News for any bloggers who do on-line journalism or are interested in the topic (and not just because I'm an occasional guest writer for the site).