Gene Cookmeyer's Blog

Gee, thanks #Apple for your innovation in NEW ways to create more BUGS!

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 12:53:49 -0500

Apple, yet again, screws over our calendar functionality with lack of testing…..

From: IT Communications
Sent: Wednesday, February 13, 2013 2:33 PM
To: IT Communications
Subject: URGENT! iPhone/iPad iOS 6.1 Issue with Microsoft Outlook

Attention: All iPhone and iPad Users:

Apple and Microsoft have confirmed a calendar issuerelated to iOS 6.1 for Apple iPhones and iPads. According to Microsoft, this issue has the potential to degrade Exchange server performance and negatively affect delivery of email messages. To date, our Exchange servers are operating normally and are not exhibiting performance issues.

As a precaution, we recommend delaying the upgrade to iOS 6.1 at this time.

If you have already upgraded to iOS 6.1, please DO NOT Accept, Decline, Create, Reschedule, or Modify any meetings, including your own meetings .

DO NOT

Accept, Decline, Create, Reschedule, or Modify any meetings, including your own meetings from your iPhone or iPad.

(if you are running iOS 6.1)

Workaround:

· Use Outlook or Outlook Web App [URL edited] for all calendar activities as they are not impacted by this issue

Currently, no estimated resolution date has been provided from Microsoft or Apple to correct the synchronization issue. We will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates on further developments. If you have any questions, please contact the Helpdesk.

Thank you for you cooperation and patience.

~ Information Technology ~

How "The Graduate" get the reviews it did?

Tue, 25 Dec 2012 14:25:52 -0500

This story is ludicrous… Were twenty-somethings in the 1960’s really that stupid?

Try to do this story in today’s times and it would probably be named “The Stalker” or “The Group of Morons”. I mean really… A guy goes on a single date with a girl with whom whose mother he had an affair with and suddenly he’s obsessive enough to say he’s going to marry her and stalk her in Berkeley?

I mean really… Ridiculous.

Apple, simply put, has a Quality Problem

Tue, 25 Dec 2012 12:40:00 -0500

Upgrading to iOS6 caused WIFI sync to fail months ago - and it’s still not properly fixed.

Enabling WIFI sync causes ATH.EXE to eat 50% of my CPU continuously, even when NOTHING needs to be done for iTunes. The only remedy that works for this is to turn off WIFI sync and leave it turned off. Or don’t run iTunes, but that’s not a solution because I have an AppleTV and want to use my content.

These bugs continue to linger MONTHS after the iOS6 upgrade has come on the scene.

Apple, simply put, has a Quality Problem. You won’t find me buying any Apple stock anytime soon.

The Tragically Hip (Riviera Theatre, Chicago, Nov 3, 2012)

Sat, 03 Nov 2012 22:08:16 -0400

The Tragically Hip (Riviera Theatre, Chicago, Nov 3, 2012)

Shinedown! #uproarfestival (Taken with Instagram)

Sun, 02 Sep 2012 21:56:33 -0400

Shinedown! #uproarfestival (Taken with Instagram)

ten-u-us: This makes me tear up a little Where is the doctor?

Wed, 22 Aug 2012 14:52:06 -0400

ten-u-us:

This makes me tear up a little

Where is the doctor?

Rich Musings: Record Labels: Not Down with the Cloud

Sat, 18 Aug 2012 10:36:23 -0400

Rich Musings: Record Labels: Not Down with the Cloud:

riche-reaux:

An old quote suggests that: “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em”. Although this quote contradicts every fiber of my hyper-competitive being, I must agree….with a slight modification. “If you can’t beat ‘em, study ‘em. Learn what moves ‘em, what makes ‘em tick, and incorporate the appropriate…

This is crap! Last night I had to “authorize” the PC I’ve been using for months in order to download my purchases. Again the record labels are screwing with consumers! Arghhhh!

Would Jesus Be a Democrat or Republican?

Wed, 15 Aug 2012 13:05:15 -0400

During lunch today I found myself asking this question - would Jesus be a democrat or republican, also would he be socialist or capitalist?

The answer I believe is that he would be none of these - IMHO Jesus wouldn’t want to be labeled as part of any of these groups… because accepting a label means that the actions and thoughts of the many could be applied to himself.

Instead, I believe Jesus, as a voter, would be registered as Non-Affiliated or Independent. When expressing his views on political structure, he would champion the poor, oppressed, sick, homeless, disadvantaged but he would also praise the value of technology, philanthropy, free-thinking, innovation, enthusiasm to create new things, going after goals and achieving them. My interpretation is he wouldn’t accept the label of socialist or capitalist, but have viewpoints between these two points.

On abortion, he wouldn’t take a label of Pro-Life or Pro-Choice - he would simply deflect the question with a question back regarding the specific circumstances of the the case being put before him.

On birth control he would do the same - maybe asking something back in the context of the question being posed.

Jesus, IMHO would not be black and white on all issues presented before him, he’d evaluate his answer based on the context of the circumstances involved.

“Lord, help me to not be black-and-white, but fully think through the situation that is presented to me and give me strength to interpret the correct action or opinion appropriately.”

Also, May God forgive me if I screw up.

BART approaching (Taken with Instagram)

Sun, 05 Aug 2012 13:56:52 -0400

BART approaching (Taken with Instagram)

Diner Life (Taken with Instagram)

Sun, 05 Aug 2012 12:53:26 -0400

Diner Life (Taken with Instagram)

Pondering the value of air travel (Taken with Instagram)

Thu, 02 Aug 2012 20:25:12 -0400

Pondering the value of air travel (Taken with Instagram)

Problems with the Polarized Debate and the "Self" Perspective of Many Americans

Wed, 25 Jul 2012 18:02:15 -0400

“Us vs Them”, “Right vs Wrong”, “Permissiveness vs Restrictiveness”… I’m quite damn tired of it all. We never seem to meet in the middle! Everything is so polarized.

I think Michael Moore recently got it right in this video below when he says Americans have the perspective of “I got mine, you get yours and the hell with everybody else.” He makes a valid point that other countries have the perspective of “if one suffers, everybody suffers”.

http://piersmorgan.blogs.cnn.com/2012/07/24/michael-moore-speaks-out-on-gun-violence-i-am-not-going-to-come-on-another-one-of-these-damn-tv-shows-either-after-next-one-of-these-shootings/

Chick-Fil-A is being bigoted and homophobic for your discriminatory viewpoints. You’re going to get what you deserve from the cities that are stepping up to your BS. The Muppets have already given you the shaft.

http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-chick-fil-a-chicago-20120725,0,4158667.story

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/25/thomas-menino-boston-mayor-chick-fil-a-letter_n_1703770.html

You too, Boy Scouts of America, aren’t providing a good role model for your boy scouts by discriminating either:

http://www.mercurynews.com/california/ci_21154593/gay-eagle-scout-fired-from-n-calif-summer

I’m proud to say that some Eagle Scouts are showing leadership and are stepping up to protest this bigotry:

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/eagle-scouts-return-medals-protest-boy-scouts-anti-gay-policy-article-1.1121795?localLinksEnabled=false

http://boingboing.net/2012/07/25/more-men-join-the-ranks-of-for.html

Way to go Mitt Romney campaign on your ridiculous out-of-context taking adds that put words in Obama’s mouth. This video sums up how ridiculous it is.

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-july-24-2012/back-in-black—-campaign-fibs

Religilous

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 17:09:00 -0400

I watched Bill Maher’s documentary “Religilous” last night and was amused by the parade of buffoons he interviewed during the course of the movie. He asked simple questions and many times got mindless answers that proves the person wasn’t thinking logically.

I think it’s important to note that many religious scholars point out the fact that the holy texts should not be taken literally without understanding the context within which they were written. Where things get dangerous is when fanatics interpret passages out of context.

The point he makes in the end about doubt being humbling and faith sometimes being arrogant was very impactful to me. If everyone took the approach that no one can be 100% certain that what they believe is correct, then disagreements over religious beliefs would probably never cause the conflicts that happen today because of them.

Also I learned that there is a “Creationism” museum somewhere that is teaching that dinosaurs lives 5000 years ago because they have to reconcile that if God created animals and humans on the same day, then certainly dinosaurs and humans would have to coexist. Otherwise their fundamentalist viewpoint on the scripture is fallible. OMG these people are crazy. The only logical conclusion is that the Bible cannot be interpreted out of context, which to me means that it can’t be interpreted literally word for word.

Don’t get me wrong, I still choose to call myself a Christian. However the Bible to me is a book to be read and reflected on, but my relationship with Jesus is a more direct personal one.

My version of Christianity includes homosexuality as something normal in nature, and I thought it was good that Bill Maher pointed out that Jesus is never quoted saying anything in Scripture against it. Only the old testament and church leaders in the new testament condemned it… Leading me to believe that their words are fallible, and should be scrutinized as well.

In the end, this documentary was entertaining and I recommend it to anyone. If you’re one of the people that reject the idea of watching it because it might cause you to question your faith - then you most certainly should watch it. It might just open your eyes a little bit that you might slightly be a little wrong about something…

Marlene and I attended Roger Water’s “The...

Tue, 10 Jul 2012 13:04:50 -0400

Marlene and I attended Roger Water’s “The Wall” reincarnation last night - this is a video of the wall falling at the end of the show.

The visuals were awesome and I’d highly recommend anyone who can get tickets go see the show.

Mother Do You Think They’ll Drop the Bomb? (Taken with...

Mon, 09 Jul 2012 21:42:37 -0400

Mother Do You Think They’ll Drop the Bomb? (Taken with Instagram)

My desk - what’s your analysis? (Taken with Instagram)

Thu, 05 Jul 2012 15:09:45 -0400

My desk - what’s your analysis? (Taken with Instagram)

The colonel calls to me (Taken with Instagram)

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 15:39:49 -0400

The colonel calls to me (Taken with Instagram)

How to root a Kindle Fire

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 05:47:19 -0500

How to root a Kindle Fire:

I haven’t verified this, so attempt at your own risk.

Rebecca Black’s Friday licensed as Black Friday

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 20:02:33 -0500

Rebecca Black’s Friday licensed as Black Friday

Aging aches - but makes you look at the world differently

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 21:05:25 -0400

The nagging pain of my tight upper back/neck muscles reminded me to day about my age again. It seems that physical reminders of my 45 years is happening almost daily now for me.

Since my recent physical at the doctor, mortality and aging has creeped into my thoughts almost daily. My doctor informed me that my lifetime hypertension has finally shown up on my EKG as a slight thickening of the heart. An EchoCardiogram later shows I’ve encroached on the limits of wall size - nothing serious at the moment but this cannot continue if I want to supply oxygen properly throughout my body in the future. A medication adjustment hasn’t impacted my blood pressure significantly right now - but maybe losing a few pounds will do so. She encouraged me to keep playing hockey since my diastolic function of my heart is above average for my age.

Couple all this with the fact that my mom died this summer - who I very much miss even though we didn’t talk that often - and I’m looking at the world differently now.

Maybe this is natures way of making us appreciate the moments we have left on earth - when we’re not caught up in the rat race of everyday life and self-induced pressure to achieve and be successful?