Quote of The Day: Mahatma Gandhi

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." ~Mahatma Gandhi

Building a Dream Network 1.1 (The Modem)

This is part two of a series I'm writing on building my dream network at home. I'll be posting updates as appropriate, until the entire network is completed. You can find the complete series by clicking on this tag: Dream Network

Note: Wherever I feel it's appropriate, I'll be providing wiki-links on terms you may not be familiar with. I've done hours and hours of research to put this list together. Hopefully, I can help a few people out with their own situation. As noted in my previous article, I welcome your input, advice, comments or questions. Please send email to: networkplan(at)comcast.net.

This issue covers the selection of a modem. Based on quality, user ratings and future growth capability, I've chosen the Motorola SB6120 SURFboard DOCSIS 3.0 eXtreme Broadband Cable Modem. While this product offers features not mentioned here, following are the basic criteria for my selection. As much as possible, these are listed in order of importance. (The first feature weighing heaviest, and so on.)

1. Approved model. This model is on the Comcast List of Approved Modems for high-speed internet service. You should check with your provider for a list. Your provider is not responsible for connection viability between your devices. But they are responsible for a viable strong signal your modem will accept. You should utilize a device they approve, to maintain their support for your connection.

2. DOCSIS 3.0 capability. This is the newest generation international telecommunications standard. DOCSIS 3.0 supports the latest Internet Protocol version (IPv6), offering increased speed and security. While its possible to upgrade to DOCSIS 2.0+IPv6, it requires a firmware upgrade to the modem. Meanwhile, IPv6 is the standard on DOCSIS 3.0. Additionally, 3.0 is capable of channel bonding, which allows multiple downstream and upstream channels to be used together at the same time by a single subscriber. Finally, I've confirmed that I'm already receiving a DOCSIS 3.0 signal, even though Comcast only hooked me up with a DOCSIS 2.0 modem. {Grrrr}

3. GigE connectivity. Eventually, I hope to stream high-definition video and live TV on my network. To accomplish this, it's important that I have ultra-high speed, wired connections available, starting at the wall. While pricey, it makes no sense to install 10/100 data transfer connections that will have to be eventually replaced. The new GigE (Gigabit Ethernet) transfer rates of 10/100/1000 will eventually the standard, and are already available on many devices.

4. Ratings and Reviews. As of this writing the SB6120 is the best selling modem on Amazon, where 383 users give it an average 4.5 star rating. It also has an alaScore of 92/100 at alaTest.com.

5. Two year warranty. An excellent warranty from Motorola.

Motorola SB6120 Specifications Data Sheet - English (222Kb pdf)
Motorola SB6120 Quick Start Guide - English (2Mb pdf)
Motorola SB6120 User Guide - English (2Mb pdf)

An excellent video review of this modem: (4:38)


If you can't get enough, this video from Motorola discusses the future of video quality, content and delivery, and DOCSIS 3.0's role in it: (4:07)


Next Installment: Dream Network 1.2: The Router

Clip of The Day: Craig on Self-Help

If you follow my blog, you know I'm a big fan of Craig Ferguson. While I generally enjoy motivational literature and "self-help" books, it's amusing how many people make big bucks just regurgitating the same old ideas. In a recent monologue, Craig gave his viewpoint on the subject. (9:04)

Quote of The Day: Abraham Lincoln

"The problem with quotations on the internet, is that the sources are hard to verify." ~Abraham Lincoln

Building a Dream Network 1.0

Late last week, my internet connection went dead. After spending the weekend checking connections, testing equipment and four (count them) phone calls to Comcast Technical No-Support, I scheduled an appointment for a techie to come to the house. Apparently, my equipment is just so old it can't keep up anymore. The new modem he installed is is the Ambit U10C018, costing me $5.00 a month rental. I can buy one for about $40.

Anyway, I decided I was long overdue for a network upgrade. My router is also way out-of-date, and wired. It's time to go wireless. One piece of advice I've never forgotten about computer hardware: "buy the most advanced technology you can afford." Well some of the pieces I've picked are more than I would like to spend, but I've set a goal to complete my new network within 18 months. That means buying one new device every 3-4 months. Of course I'll revisit my later purchases, but I wanted to map out a plan first. It feeds my mild OCD. {"Did he say mild?"}

Note: Wherever I feel it's appropriate, I'll be providing wiki-links on terms you may not be familiar with. I've done hours and hours of research to put this list together. Hopefully, I can help a few people out with their own situation.

Eventually, I'd like to be able to download or stream movies, music and live TV from the internet to my network and my television. Also, I hope to buy an Ooma VOIP hub for phone service. If I cancel cable TV and Vonage, I'll save about $135 a month, which will pay for my shiny new next-generation dream network! Aha! I welcome your input, advice or comments. Please send email to: networkplan(at)comcast.net.

Selection of my dream machines was driven by three overriding criteria:

1. Get the fastest (home) products now available. This includes DOCSIS 3.0 modem capability, 802.11n wireless connections, and Gigabit Ethernet connectivity on every component possible. All meeting IEEE Standards.

2. Make sure each device is backwards compatible. I don't want to buy something in the middle of my project that brings everything down. So, I am planning to build the network from the "wall" inward. (i.e. modem, router, storage, printing, users.) As each installation succeeds, I'll know I'm good from that device back to the wall. (For instance, my computer has an on-board Wireless-G card, which will work backwards until I choose to upgrade it.)

3. Choose products with strong USER ratings and support. Experience has taught me that relying on techies, whether they "support" your equipment or your ISP is unreliable at best, and futile at worst. Seeking help and advice from other Users is more apt to bring a successful solution. Sharing a popular device with potentially millions of others, reserves that opportunity.

4. Green Technology. Yes, I know I said three criteria. But when available, green technology had a considerable impact on my decision. Particularly in the case of the NAS (Network Attached Storage).

Next Installment: Dream Network 1.1: The Modem

Clip of The Day: Murray Hill Inc. for Congress?

This clip may be presented as satire...but don't be so quick to laugh. The truth is that unless we pass a Constitutional Amendment reversing Citizen's United v. Federal Election Commission, this could become a reality. If you don't know that case you should.

Citizen's v. FEC, is the case about which Obama appropriately chastised the Supreme Court during his 2010 State of the Union address. Perhaps second only to 9/11, this ruling will likely be the most important political event in my lifetime...and possibly yours. Corporations are not people. They are faux-identities empowered by the people, to conduct business. All of their rights, and their responsibilities, are defined by the people through legislation and codification, governing their right to exist. Originally, corporations were intended to survive only for a short defined duration. We cannot allow them to pursue rights independently from those who supposedly govern them.

Restore the first amendment to the people. Sign On: Don't Get Rolled.

Murray Hill Incorporated is Running for Congress: (1:14)

Coming Out Black: Observations from Wanda

Wow. I can't believe it's been so long since I posted anything here. I've been distracted. Today, I was surfing the net and came across this cool website called Blog Catalog. It's a collection of everything under the blogosphere in one location. So I had to join. Well, apparently they're going to have a live person read my blog, so I just knew I better post something now. I'll start trying to post something at least once a week again.

The thing I like most about comedy, is that when it's done well it subliminally sends some message or teaches some lesson, about humanity. Yesterday I was looking at clips on YouTube and came across some Wanda Sykes clips from her HBO show I'ma Be Me, (which I have not seen). Generally, I like Wanda. But I wouldn't consider myself an avid fan. These particular clips though, are really good. So I thought I'd share them for your enjoyment. They are all very short.

Coming Out Black (2:15):


Organ Donation & Cremation (0:46):


Reverse Discrimination (0:56):


Respecting the President (2:00): (Don't miss the punchline on this one.)

Happy Tuesday! (I Think)

In the Greek world, Tuesday is considered unlucky (The Fall of Constantinople). Also unlucky in Spanish-speaking cultures, where a proverb translates as "On Tuesday, neither get married nor begin a journey." Conversely in Judaism, Tuesday is considered particularly lucky, because the paragraph about this day in Genesis contains the phrase "it was good" twice. In the Thai solar calendar, the name for Tuesday translates literally as "Ashes of the Dead".

Its a vicious cycle. I think I'll just stay home...and listen to some Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Quote of The Day: Liam Neeson

"I'm not the kind of actor that would know what my character had for breakfast last Tuesday." ~Liam Neeson (Actor)

Clip of The Day: Lynyrd Skynyrd

From Lynyrd Skynyrd Lyve: The Vicious Cycle Tour. Tuesday's Gone.

Freedom of Press vs. Right to Privacy

I'm just curious. When did we decide, that it's okay to give the press access to courtroom proceedings during celebrity divorces? What public good does that serve? Or, is this not the ultimate violation of privacy? What if the media decided to cover your divorce? What about the impact on the children involved? I'm just sayin'.

I Had A Dream: Check That, A Nightmare

One night during this past week, I went to sleep a socially liberal, spiritually enlightened, passionate, capitalist American. The next morning I turned on my television, and discovered I had transformed into a godless, America-hating, fag-loving Marxist. Well, at least they got one out of four right.

Problem is, I had a bad dream that night. People around the country were glued to their televisions...watching the breaking news. Leaders from the democratic and republican parties were joined in hand with leaders from Jewish, Christian and Muslim faiths. They were mourning over some catastrophic event, where a huge number of lives were lost, and property destroyed. They were pleading for an end to divisive, rhetorical politics. Calling for a "New Era" of statesmanship, unparalleled in our history.

Does anyone remember Timothy McVeigh? Oklahoma City? The Murrah Federal Building? Am I the only one who sees what's coming down the road? To assume, or make accusations, that anyone whose ideas differ from yours hates their country, is not only irresponsible...it is dangerous. Freedom of Speech is guaranteed by our Constitution. But in my Civics class we learned that with rights, come responsibilities. Not least among those, should be consideration of the impact your words will have.

Please don't let your words be the spark, that ignites the torch of some wingnut we will condemn together tomorrow. Honor the memory of the 168 people who died in Oklahoma City, as we approach the 15th anniversary of their senseless murders.

Quote of The Day: Author Unknown

"One of the most curious things about American politics, is that without a single historical exception, a partisan is invariably a member of the other party." ~Author Unknown

Clip of The Day: Buffalo Springfield

"Everybody look what's goin' down...nobody's right, if everybody's wrong..."
A little music for the moment. (2:39)

Community College Students No Losers

Recently, a close friend and I were talking about her high-school senior's plans for college. After putting off applications for the 2010-2011 school year, she is now faced with attending community college next fall. Unfortunately she is hesitant, out of concern over being labeled a "Loser".

Having an associates degree from a community-college myself, I took exception to this. While I know she didn't mean to infer that I'm a loser, I understand her frustration, given the judgment one faces in a peer-pressure environment. There are also many other young students out there facing the same questions. So, I decided to research some facts that might help them with their decision.

Let's begin with the cost of college tuition. Anyone who listens to the news knows that costs have gone through the roof. Average tuition at a four-year public college this year is $7,020, and at private colleges it has risen to $26,270. Compare that with the average annual cost at a community college of just $2,540. You can see where this is going.(1)

Next let's talk about admission priority at four-year colleges. While I can't speak for other states, many of them do offer programs similar to those at California's UC and CSU campuses. Upper division transfer students at California community colleges have the highest admission priority of all students applying to the UC and CSU. This includes those from four-year institutions, and intercampus transfers.(2)

Let me repeat that: Upper division community college transfer students have the highest admission priority of all students. During the 2008-2009 school year, nearly 64,000 students transferred to UC and CSU combined, while 20,000 students transferred to independent colleges. In fact, over the past five years, the University of California has admitted on average, nearly 8 of every 10 California community college students who apply.(3)

So, let's talk about the prestigious UC colleges. California's UC system offers some of the most well-respected colleges in the country. These include UC Berkeley, UCSF and UCLA Medical Schools, and Hastings College of the Law. Unfortunately, with recent increases tuition at UC is expected to exceed $10,000 per year this fall.(4)

The good news is that UC is contemplating a proposal that would streamline bachelor degree programs through a combination of increased summer school offerings and reduced requirements. The goal being to graduate a portion of full-time students after three years. Do the math: by attending a community college in combination with summer school and upper division transfer, a student could potentially complete a bachelors degree at UC for approximately $15,000 in tuition costs. That's no Loser plan.(5)

In closing, I'd like to introduce you to some of the other "Losers" who've attended community colleges across the country:

James Belushi, Actor/Businessman
Rita Mae Brown, Author, Playwright
Carol Browner, (Former) Administrator EPA
Benjamin Cayetano, Governor, State of Hawaii
Francisc DeMasi, Commanding Officer, U.S.S. Normandy
David Donald, Professor Emeritus, Harvard University
Carla Dove, Ornithologist, Smithsonian Institution
Maureen Dunne, Rhodes Scholar
Douglas Fields, Director of Research, NIH
Robert Gibson, Space Shuttle Commander, N.A.S.A.
Parris Glendening, Governor, State of Maryland
B. Thomas Golisano, Chairman and CEO, Paychex, Inc.
Rich Karlgaard, Publisher, Forbes, Inc.
Joyce Luther Kennard, California Supreme Court
Kweisi Mfume, President, NAACP
Harry Reid, US Senator, Nevada
Martha Simmons, President, Suntrust Bank
Shawntel Smith, Miss America 1996
Olympia J. Snowe, US Senator, Maine
Esther Tomljanovich, Minnesota Supreme Court
John Walsh, Host of "America's Most Wanted"
Allen Weiss, President, Walt Disney World Resort
Jim Wright, Former Speaker of the House
Richard Zahn, President, Shering Laboratories

So, what do you think? Want to join these Losers?(6)

Postscript: After publishing this article, I was discussing it with a friend of mine who has an extensive background in college admissions. Ron Clement is the former Director of Graduate Admissions at Mills College in Oakland, California, and former Dean of Admissions at the University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Illinois. He confirmed that nearly every state university system has preference programs for community college transfers. He went on to say that he would give young people one piece of advice: "Community Colleges certainly welcome losers, but they are not the exclusive population."

Sources:
(1) Trends in College Pricing, 2009, College Board
(2) About the California Community Colleges, CaliforniaColleges.edu
(3) Advice for California Community College Transfer Students, CaliforniaColleges.edu
(4) UC President Recommends Huge Tuition Increases, SFGate.com
(5) UC Panel Proposes Three-Year Bachelor's Degrees, Los Angeles Times
(6) Notable Alumni, American Association of Community Colleges