I don’t know who nominated me for this. I simply got an invitation in the mail saying I had been approved by the Board and invited to attend any future sessions. Let me simply say that if you ever get invited, you probably want to attend. (It is pricey, however.)

Under the ground rules of the event, I am not allowed to mention names of attendees without prior, explicit approval. However, I can say that so far, I have either been in small group meetings with or talked directly to people who have won Emmys, Oscars, MacArthur Awards, Pulitzer Prizes, and Peabody Awards (the Turing Award winners aren’t here this time, and I have yet to meet any of the Nobel Prize or Grammy winners). Titles of some of the others I have met include current or former: General (head of a Unified Command), College President, Rt. Reverend, Imam, Senator, Representative, heads of Federal agencies (on the order of NIH, DARPA, GAO, NSF), Ambassador, Judge, Governor, cabinet undersecretary, White House Fellow, producer, editor, novelist. I have spoken with founders of million dollar companies, inventors, heads of major non-profit organizations, editors of major news media, TV and movie personalities, and more. And sprinkled in are younger entrepreneurs, grad students, activists, lawyers, professors, doctors, and…. This has all been in only the first 2 days! (The program runs 7:30am until 10:30 pm every day, and until 2am on New Year’s Eve).

I am suffering a case of Imposter Syndrome! However, I may be the only bow tie-wearing alien here.

This evening, we were supposed to have dinner on our own. I was invited to accompany 3 lovely ladies and a wonderful gentleman (his family joined us later) to a great local restaurant. (NB: my personal record so far was at RSA where I was the only male at dinner with 14 women, but at that one I was made an “honorary woman” so it isn’t quite the same.) We had a delightful meal, discussing a range of topics from philosophy to choreography to law to elections to novel writing to third-world issues to sex roles to espionage to marksmanship…and terrible things I do to my students.

As we were leaving, one of the lovely ladies pronounced me as “Really something.” I allowed that many people said that, but none of them had quite figured out what. She then informed those around that I was “Delightful” and “Obviously knew how to treat a lady.” I asked her if I could quote her on that. She readily assented. Thus, I can name her:
I have been officially anointed as “Delightful” by Dr. Ruth Westheimer. She says that is her professional opinion. (Ladies, take note .

The other women present — a well-known attorney, and a TV political analyst/commentator — were also wonderful dinner companions, as was the gentleman who very kindly paid for my dinner and his family. However, I didn’t ask them for permission to use their names.

Did I mention what an unusual group this is? As a polymath, this is great fun. Assuming I don’t collapse from too little sleep.

Tooling down I-65 at somewhat over the posted limit (hey — so was everyone else!), I was in the middle lane of 3 lanes. A large tractor-trailer rig was to my right, and the left lane was open. I, of course, had my headlights on.

Despite my crisp progression to the south, someone in a large extended-cab pickup truck did not think I was moving fast enough, and came zooming up the left lane to pass. BIG truck. The driver got about even with me, and for some reason, started to change lanes — on a path that would put his truck right where my car was. As someone who has studied physics, I know that two objects cannot occupy the exact same space-time coordinates without some extreme rearrangement and compaction of their components. This did not bode well. I was unable to swerve to the right because then I would be trying to occupy the same space as the semi. So, I didn’t have options, other than to step on the brakes. However, doing so too suddenly would be bad, because there was another semi coming up behind me

Moments (and inches) before there would have been the sound (and feel) of rending metal, the pickup truck driver saw my car, and yanked his vehicle to the left. This is not a good maneuver to conduct at 85mph, and I saw the truck violently sway on its suspension and head towards the guardrail. The driver had overcorrected. He then swung the wheel to the right and apparently also stomped on his brakes. On wet pavement. In a heavy vehicle. At around 85-90 mph (for my non US-readers, that’s 140 kmh).

Over the next few seconds, his truck began to fishtail and then turn almost sideway. Had the road been dry, the truck would have flipped and begun to tumble. In that regard, the driver was quite lucky. Instead, the truck spun at least twice and maybe three times all the way around — into and out of my lane. The last time I saw someone do a 1080 it was on ice. This would have been impressive had it not involved 3 or 4 moments of near collision with my car.

Luckily, my life did not pass before my eyes. Had it done so, I would have been bored into a deep sleep and missed everything.

Instead, I was able to steer and brake in a manner to avoid his truck — at least twice by less than a meter as it spun and slid around. My initial braking had slowed enough so that the semi to my right had passed and I was able to steer slightly out of my lane to miss one of the revolutions of the truck. It then came to a violent rest, back end against the guardrail.

People sometimes make jokes about how driving a BMW is to compensate for some perceived defect in male virility. (I ignore such comments; attractive women are invited to contact me to discover first-hand why I have no concerns. ) No, I drive a BMW (750Li) because it is a very comfortable, highly responsive, safe car. The car has traction control, adaptive steering, and big disc brakes, with performance tires. And I have some significant experience driving, plus, my reflexes aren’t totally shot yet. Thus, I was able to steer, brake and evade the out-of-control truck without any contact, coming to a rest about even with the wreck. However, the semi was still behind me, closing fast. Luckily, the 750 also has a fair amount of “get up and go” that is available when needed, and I really needed to go, so I stomped on the accelerator to avoid being a secondary accident.

It was clear that the truck was not going anywhere (the rear wheels were off the pavement), the passenger cab was intact, and no contact had been made. So I simply kept on. (Had the driver been injured or had there been contact with any other vehicle that I had witnessed, I would have stayed.) I called 911 and reported the wreck.

I am convinced that BMW’s fine engineering saved me from a serious wreck. And with that large truck at that speed, it would have had the potential to severely injure or kill me and the other driver — if not some some of the people coming up too fast in the rain behind us.

Oddly, this didn’t really shake me up too much. I guess I have had so much stress over the last couple of years, and so much experience with various accidents and disasters, it takes a lot to excite me. (Those attractive women are also invited to test this hypothesis. )

10 minutes later, I arrived at the doctor’s office. Apparently there was some reality distortion field following me there, as my watch stopped about the same time that I parked. This is a Breitling (yes, I do tend to buy very good quality technology — I am a technogeek through and through) so it wasn’t a matter of some cheap watch giving out. Furthermore, I had the battery replaced only 3 months ago, so it shouldn’t be that — the batteries are supposed to be good for years. It appears thoroughly, completely dead. I will have to deal with that upon my return home. Sigh. I left the non-functional watch in my car at the airport, so for the past few hours I have been consulting my wrist and swearing silently.

Then, to make the morning complete, the doctor did 3 oral biopsies and may order an endoscopy. No, I don’t want to talk about it, and even if I did, my mouth hurts enough I couldn’t. The doctor also asked to take pictures because “I might want to write this up for the medical journals.” To hear that from a national-level specialist does tend to give some pause.

On the plane, I forgot and had a sip of hot coffee. The flight attendant saw my grimace and pronounced “It isn’t Starbucks, but I think it’s pretty good,” clearly misinterpreting my response. So much for friendly service.

Did I mention that the lady sitting next to me on the plane seemed to have pneumonic plague? I expect I’ll come down with that about Monday, just in time for my flight to San Diego. The headache has already started. It’s made worse by this cab ride with a driver whose knowledge of English and personal hygiene are both highly suspect.

I can’t wait to see what else happens this trip.

My doctors keep telling me to avoid stress. THey forget to tell me how.

If you didn’t hear, October is the month to be aware of at least these things (in the U.S.):

• Cyber security
• Domestic Violence
• Pork
• Clergy Appreciation
• Filipino American History
• National Arts & Humanities
• Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender History
• Dwarfism
• Fair Trade

That’s quite a list! (And it probably isn’t complete, either.)

Obviously, cyber security is important to me given my chosen profession and expertise (e.g., here). However, we should be aware of cyber security 365 days a year (and 366 every 4th year)! There are lots of resources online for cybersecurity, and you should seek them out and pay attention to good practices. One good starting point for the general public is the Stay Safe Online site.

It is also reasonable to appreciate pork, clergy, LBGT history, art, people of Filipino ancestry, and fair trade. I suppose that if you were to find a gay Filipino-American priest and offer to trade him a painting for some bacon, you’d cover all those bases at once.

Dwarfism should not be a matter of amusement or ostracization, certainly — Little People are indeed people, and should be treated with the respect and dignity afforded anyone else.

But of all those causes, two have serious and often tragic effects, leading to heartbreak, physical damage, and all-too-often, death.

Domestic violence is something not always observed by those around the victims. Usually (but not always) the victims are women and children who are subject to psychological and physical abuse. (Men can be subjected to violence too, by wives or domestic partners.)

Often, victims are made to believe that they are somehow unworthy and thus deserving of the abuse. The victims often are unable to trust others, and may be subject to more violence if they are caught trying to reach out to other people. And the violence often continues because the victims believe they have no other place to go — no options, and no resources. Victims of abuse — especially children — may not display obvious signs of trauma to an untrained observer. They may have injuries that are explained away as accidents, or because they are clumsy. Some abusers take great care to hide the marks and effects of their actions. But the psychological scars can run deep….and sometimes, the victims die; one estimate is that 3 women a day die in the U.S. as a result of domestic violence. Sadly, abused children may grow up to be abusers themselves unless something is done to stop the cycle.

This is an issue that is important, and one that should not be forgotten for 11 months once October ends. There are resources if you suspect someone is being subjected to domestic violence, including the website of the Domestic Violence Awareness Project. More importantly, if you suspect someone is being abused — or you are being abused — then call 911, or the hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or TTY 1-800-787-3224. No one deserves to be subjected to domestic violence.

The other really serious issue is breast cancer. This also disproportionately affects women, although it can also strike men. In the U.S., nearly 300,000 people will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year (1% of them men). Sadly, nearly 40,000 women will die from that cancer this year. During their lives, 1 out of every 8 women (about 12%) will develop breast cancer. The major risk factors are being female, and growing older — neither of which presents rational alternatives for avoidance.

Several of my friends, colleagues, and family members have been diagnosed with breast cancer — and you probably know some as well, although you may not realize everyone who you know who has had this diagnosis. One of my acquaintances developed it as a very young woman and died of it: it is not only a disease of older people. The rest have been survivors, so far, joining over 2.6 million others. Too often, however, treatment requires disfigurement or amputation. (Maybe it makes a bigger impact on guys to understand that a mastectomy is major amputation — it is not something trivial.) Recovery may involve physical therapy and sometimes long-term discomfort or pain. It is also an issue of psychological stress.

Earlier this week, a long-time, wonderful friend of mine underwent a double mastectomy. She had undergone an exam that revealed a suspicious spot. It was not benign. As someone with some family history, and with two young daughters she wanted to be with for as long as possible (and for whom she is a role model), she elected for “the whole monty” (as I recall her writing to me) after discussing it with her physician. I cannot imagine the decision, the fear, the uncertainty, and now the long recovery. But although she is someone special, the bravery and resolve to undergo this radical step is not unique to her — tens of thousands of women make the same decision each year, some forced into it to save their lives, and others as a precaution against further cancer.

As a dirty old man (formerly, a dirty young man , I have great fondness for women’s breasts (and the rest of them, actually). But as a son, brother, husband, father, and friend I am horrified at the fear, trauma, and losses brought about by breast cancer. This is another issue that should not be forgotten for 11 months once October ends. Women (and men) should learn how to do self-exams, and then perform them. If you find something unusual, don’t dismiss it as “probably nothing” or “I have no time now to get it checked.” Early diagnosis and treatment is especially critical to improve recovery and minimize any surgery. This is also an area where additional research should help devise new treatments and diagnostic procedures. Consider making a donation. Susan G. Koman For the Cure and the American Cancer Society are two places where you can find more information or donate.

Yes, October is the month for many things. November is not far off with its own observances, including lung and pancreatic cancer, Crohn’s disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and COPD. It is also National  Pomegranate month, and National Drum month.

But for now, focus on October, and on how you can make a difference in someone else’s life and future. And when you see someone wearing a purple ribbon (Domestic Violence Awareness) or a pink ribbon (Breast Cancer Awareness), you’ll know what they mean.

However, it was family night, I needed a break, and Cowboys and Aliens looked interesting. So, off we went for dinner (where service was too slow — didn’t have time to order the very tempting carrot cake for dessert), and then to the movie.

Basically, I think the movie is fun to watch, but not to overanalyze. It was worth a ticket, but I don’t think I’d pay that much to see it a second time. I might want to buy the DVD if it comes in under $20 at some point, but it would have to have some fun extras.

Overall, the movie is mostly fun to watch. The scenery is gorgeous — and I don’t mean only Olivia Wilde (Ella) and Daniel Craig (Jake) (depending on your tastes): It was filmed in various places in New Mexico (standing in for Arizona) and it really is beautiful on the big screen. Plus, there is something for nearly everybody. There are explosions, bad guys, good guys, a wise old man, an Apache tribe, a brave young boy, emotional reunions, a cute dog (Dog), ugly aliens, a saloon piano player, some humorous touches, a space ship, a crotchety old guy with a heart of gold, yet more explosions, several doofuses, revelation, almost mystical occurrences, Absolution (the town, and partly the theme) and all the other clichés you might want (and a few you didn’t realize you wanted). And a CGI hummingbird that is supposed to be symbolic in some way.  Oh, and did I mention Olivia Wilde? She has beautiful eyes, especially when they’re about 2 feet across on screen.

The start is a little uneven, but once the movie gets going, there is a lot of nearly non-stop action. Of course, many people learn about themselves along the way (the ones that don’t die, that is), and in the end the “good guys” win. Yeah, it would be an interesting alternate ending on the DVD to have an alien fleet land and wipe out humanity in the last 5 minutes, but don’t expect that in a big movie out in theaters — only a few of us more twisted individuals would sit through the movie for an ending like that. (Never mind that the politicians in DC, especially the tea party nuts, seem to be doing that in the small in real life right now.)

I couldn’t help but have several nagging thoughts as I was watching the movie, however — things that were inconsistent and/or simply too convenient. Yeah, I know the idea of aliens in the old west requires suspending belief, but it was still a little much. I’ll mention a few below the line in the spoilers section. None took me completely out of the flow of watching the movie, but the cumulative effect did spoil some of the enjoyment for me.

Craig puts in a pretty good performance, although he has to show a limited range for most of the movie. But he does a good job of displaying angst, terror, and confidence when called for. Wilde also displays a rather limited range in the movie, but that is somewhat a function of the character she plays. Harrison Ford (the Colonel) is gruff and funny, and almost a caricature, but he could do this role almost in his sleep. Clancy Brown (Meacham), a wonderful character actor, plays a good guy in this, which is nice to see for him — he has more talent than he gets to show in most films. Sam Rockwell (Doc) and Keith Carradine (the Sheriff) are familiar faces in near cartoon roles (not surprising, as this story was adapted from a comic), but they play the parts well. Another familiar face is that of Adam Beach (Nat), another wonderful actor, who really makes the best of a small part. Lots of other unwashed, grizzled cowpunchers and Indians (several who are probably really American Indians, judging by their names), and one or two women, fill the scenes at various times.

Overall, though, I enjoyed the movie. Unlike some other movies, I didn’t leave the theater feeling like I’d wasted my time and money. I didn’t leave with a sense of “Heck, yes — I want to see it again!” either. Overall, I’d give it a 6 out of 10. You’ll probably like it if you like (or at least tolerate) science fiction and can check your mind in the lobby.

Spoilers follow — read at your own risk!

There were a number of things in the movie that simply didn’t seem right to me, and distracted me a bit. In particular, the physics of several things simply didn’t fit. The flyers, for instance, left an exhaust trail suggesting some form of jet, yet the “fingers’ for wings had no shape or surface for lift. How the heck did they fly? And the main ship? It had some form of combustion for propulsion (pretty good, too, considering the acceleration at take-off), but of what? The vessel clearly didn’t have big fuel tanks. If they used some form of advanced radiation power (what Ella blew up at the end) then why did they need flame? And what caused the huge flame and smoke explosion?

The aliens were also bothersome. If they didn’t see well in daylight, I would expect them to have big eyes, not beady little ones. And the placement of the hands (with fingers) inside their carapace jarringly reminded me a lot of Alien. But why would their hands be covered in mucus? It certainly didn’t seem to match the tools and controls we saw. And the fight scenes made me wonder why they didn’t simply wipe out the humans on horses? It seems that multiple arrows and gunshots were unlikely to kill them, and they were clearly faster and heavier than even the horses, plus they had claws and fangs. But… if they were attacking with claws and fangs, why did they have those bracelet weapons? They didn’t use them in the flight. Instead, they came in range of the human weapons to perform a physical assault. And these are a higher intelligence?

And about that bracelet/weapon: where the heck was all the power coming from? Jake blasted about 30 or more times with his, and each time it blew holes in the scenery or pushed a several-hundred pound (at least) alien yards through the air. That’s a lot of power and never needed recharging. And why did it only glow when an alien was around if Jake was controlling it with his mind?

And why were the aliens on Earth to mine gold? Coming into a large gravity well for gold when there is undoubtedly a lot of it in the asteroid belt and on some of the other inner planets doesn’t seem thoughtful.

There were simply too many things about science and engineering that got in the way for me to stay immersed in the story.

And it extended beyond the simply physical. For instance, snatching people using those lassos — most or all of them should have died immediately from internal injuries and snapped spines because that was a heck of an impulse force both forwards and upwards. And what was with the hummingbird — especially flying at night? Symbolism, I know, but still….

There were some other things, too, like at the very end as we look at the town and there is an “Ice truck” outside the bar. No electricity. Late summer and really hot in Arizona. Where the heck is ice coming from?

There were more, but those are the ones that come immediately to mind.

And, I was also bothered, in the end, in the way the relationships with the Apaches were handled and evolved. It seemed too condescending and clichéd to me.

None of these ruined the movie for me, and I suspect that most people will watch the movie and never notice any of these things. Unfortunately, I did and I bet many of the nerd set will as well. That kept me from staying immersed in the movie continuously.

Of course, the plot and the clichés also were a huge stretch, but the pacing could have made up for it.

Still, I did enjoy the movie. But I sure wish producers & directors of flicks like this had some science & engineering geeks to provide advice on things to avoid, or figure how to explain in the story.

Thus, with his permission, I reproduce his note here with no changes (except formatting):

We hear these days — from Republicans and other ultra-right-wing conservatives — that CEOs “create” jobs. And that this is what justifies their enormous salaries. And also that this is what justifies reducing income taxes on the rich (already at or near historical lows in the history of this country).

So, I got to thinking. Is this true? Do CEOs really “create” jobs.

My conclusion? No, they don’t. What really creates jobs is advances in technology and invention. Go back over the entire history of this country. Whether one is talking about the invention of the modern (i.e., step-geared) water wheel (allowing the creation of factory jobs in textile and other mills), the steam engine (allowing the creation of deep mining), the canal lock (allowing the building of the first low-cost long-range transportation network in this country – the canal boom of the late 1700s and early 1800s), the steel-bladed plow (allowing the opening of the old Northwest Territories — Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, etc — and the great plains to agriculture), the cotton gin, the stage coach, rubber, the Baltimore clipper, the “New England” or “Nova Scotia” clipper ship, the railroad locomotive, the gas lamp, plumbing, the indoor sink and toilet, sewer lines, water pumping stations, the telegraph, photography, steel, the fountain pen, the paddle-wheel river steamer, ocean steamers, the vacuum can, the screw propeller, water turbines, steam turbines, the internal combustion engine, the electrical generator, the telephone, electric streetcars, the typewriter, the light bulb, the vacuum diode, the radio, the Deforest electronic amplifying tube, the automobile, nitroglycerine, TNT, the airplane, the helicopter, audio records, motion pictures, the X-ray machine, radio tuners, the zipper, the superheterodyne radio circuit, the ski lift, the arc welder, insulin, frozen food, the spiral notebook, the loud speaker, contact lenses, television, the aerosol can, the safety razor, liquid-fueled rockets, penicillin, plastic, the analog computer, the jet engine, the electron microscope, the Polaroid camera, FM radio, radar, the photocopier, the ball-point pen, Teflon, freeze-dried food, the digital computer, synthetic rubber, sustainable nulcear fission, the microwave oven, releasable ski bindings, the mobile telephone, the transistor, velcro, the credit card, video tape, the bar code, teflon, the solar cell, antibiotics, the integrated circuit, the microchip, the audio cassette, the video disk, CAT scanners, kevlar, electronic fuel injection, computers with integrated circuits, the internet, random access memory, the bar-code scanner, the personal computer, the computer mouse, the ATM, the daisy wheel printer, the floppy disc, the dot matrix printer, the food processor, the word processor, video games, gene-splicing, the laser printer, the ink-jet printer, the MRI, the Walkman, roller blades, genetically-engineered pharmaceuticals, the CD-ROM, the DVD, the fuel cell, solar panels, wind turbines, the iPod, hybrid automobiles, etc, etc, etc, etc.

It’s science and technology that creates jobs. CEOs merely manage companies. Some competently, some not.

Why do the media and the American people buy into such grotesque distortions of truth? I can only conclude that it is due to the deliberate and wanton destruction of the American educational system — begun during the Reagan Administration. How else can one explain the out-of-work Ohio factory worker who consistently votes Republican — and thus votes for elimination of student loans, privatization of community colleges and state universities (with enormous increases in tuition costs), elimination of the U.S. Postal Service, elimination of muncipal services such as trash collection and transit systems, higher gasoline prices, elimination of Social Security, elimination of Medicare, tax-breaks for the ultra-rich but not the middle class or blue-collar class, and — most saliently — the continued removal of American jobs off-shore to foreign countries? That out-of-work Ohio factory worker is voting very directly against his own personal interests and those of his children and family, but is too stupid to know it.

– Eliot Gardner

I have most of the talk prepared, but I thought I would ask, ahead of time, if anyone has some thoughts on the topic/abstract that I should consider before I finish my preparations. I can’t share the talk ahead of my presentation — sorry. I may not be able to respond to every email, but I’ll try. Any and all comments will be appreciated.

If you have any comments or ideas you think I should consider, please share them with me by email.

My talk is partly informed by things I’ve written about in my CERIAS blog over the last 3 years, and by a JASON report, The Science of Cyber Security, from November 2010. (Many people hailed that Jason report, but I think they missed the mark in several places.) Of course, I also am applying 30 years in computer research and applied computing, but I don’t have a specific link for that!

The Nature of Cyber Security

Abstract—There is an on-going discussion about establishing a scientific basis for cyber security. Efforts to date have often been ad hoc and conducted without any apparent insight into deeper formalisms. The result has been repeated system failures, and a steady progression of new attacks and compromises.

A solution, then, would seem to be to identify underlying scientific principles of cyber security, articulate them, and then employ them in the design and construction of future systems. This is at the core of several recent government programs and initiatives.

But the question that has not been asked is if “cyber security” is really the correct abstraction for analysis. There are some hints that perhaps it is not, and that some other approach is really more appropriate for systematic study — perhaps one we have yet to define.

In this talk I will provide some overview of the challenges in cyber security, the arguments being made for exploration and definition of a science of cyber security, and also some of the counterarguments. The goal of the presentation is not to convince the audience that either viewpoint is necessarily correct, but to suggest that perhaps there is sufficient doubt that we should carefully examine some of our assumptions about the field.

Lance giving the award to Spaf

Over the last two or three years I have received a few awards that could be considered as “lifetime achievement” awards in one way or another. They are certainly not given more than once, and they are considered to represent a career’s worth of accomplishment. I’m not going to argue that I have, indeed, done a few things worthy of note, although I would be the first to admit that I have had great collaborators and partners along the way. And I have the gray hair and scars to prove I’ve been at this more than a few years. The point that troubles me a bit is … “lifetime”? Am I really at such an advanced stage of senescence? Is the end that close at hand? My next birthday approaches apace, and I now wonder if I should worry about reaching it! I’ve been getting AARP solicitations in the mail for a few years, so perhaps this is another sign I should get my affairs in order?

I went to the RSA conference last month and two people who were former undergrad students of mine took me out for meals. It was very pleasant to talk to them and catch up on their activities. Both have started companies and done things to change the world. And both were undergrad students of mine 21 years ago — that’s about half their current ages! But as we talked I realized that some of the big problems I taught them about are still problems today…that issues I was warning governmental agencies and companies were coming, did, and are still here. There’s a sense of being frozen in that era and yet, here are people giving me “lifetime achievement” awards and making jokes about my age and gray beard, and the problems I started my career addressing haven’t really progressed.

Well, that isn’t true: many of those problems have gotten worse.

Maybe it isn’t a sign of decrepitude that I am getting these honors. Maybe these are subtle hints to get the hell out of the way so the youngsters can get the corner office? Well, that isn’t going to work. Yet. I still have a little bit of fire left, and with some luck (and the discounts from the AARP) I might yet make a dent in some of the big problems. I know there are several people who would like me to retire (including some of my faculty colleagues at Purdue) but I really enjoy working with students. Every time I hear from former students about some success, I know that I had a tiny bit of contribution in that somewhere back in time, and that’s a good feeling.

100 years from now, the awards will be forgotten, and I will be too. But I know that the world will be a better place because of the students I have worked with, and have yet to work with. That may sound a bit corny, but in truth, it’s why I’ve been doing this for 24 years – and am not about to stop. That good feeling is the real lifetime achievement award, and anyone who has really connected with students knows exactly what I mean. That is why the SANS award means something special, too – it is decided by people who teach in the the same field.

My thanks to SANS, and to everyone who showed up for the ceremony today for the honor, and for your support of what we are all trying to do.

–spaf
About me.

I’m reasonably well-connected on Facebook, with in excess of 1320 “friends.” Yes, that is a loose definition of “friend” but neither do I add everyone who makes a request — I try to limit my connections to people with whom I have had some significant relationship, and with only a very few exceptions they must be people I have met in person more than fleetingly across a crowded room. Professional contacts that don’t quite meet that standard I may connect with via LinkedIn.

If you use Facebook much you will have noticed the nag ads on the side about connecting with people you may know. Today, I was presented with the name of someone I had not heard from in several years, having lost touch after a move, so I clicked through to the screen of all the people who Facebook thought I might know. It was most interesting.

I was presented with a long list of at least 500 names/pictures of unconnected people who apparently share multiple, mutual contacts with me. There were, indeed, about 10 people who I knew in the list who, for one reason or another, I had not previously contacted. I have done so, and I’ll see if they connect back (as I have been typing this, 3 have accepted the links). The rest fit into an interesting distribution:

• about 5% have anywhere from 20-45 mutual contacts in common, so they are highly connected to me. These are all people whose names I know well from both professional and personal conversations, but have never met. I suspect that many of them would accept “friend” requests from me if I asked. 6 of the 10 people I had missed fell into this group.
• about 10% have from 10-20 mutual contacts in common so they are well-connected to me. These are all people whose names I know, usually from professional and personal conversations, but occasionally from seeing their names in print. For instance, there are some science fiction authors and a politician in this category. I don’t recall any of my friends mentioning many of these people directly, but I certainly recognize their names. It is interesting that I am so connected to some of these people. Three of the 10 I added were in this group.
• about 75% are connected to me by 5-7 contacts in common and I don’t recognize the majority of them. Perhaps one out of every 25 is a name I think I recognize, but it is usually so common or similar to someone else I know, I can’t be sure it isn’t coincidence. Some of these people may have been students here 20 years ago (but not in one of my classes) but I can’t be certain. None of these are people I would normally send a connection request (or I else I have already connected with all those who I would have done so).
• the remaining 10% have only 1-4 contacts in common. I didn’t get all the way through this list as it is huge, and after looking through several hundred realized that I was unlikely to find anyone I knew. If my total current “friend” list was down around 20, this might be doable, but I tend to connect with other very highly connected people, and the numbers are way too large to think about. There was only 1 person I ran across in this group who I connected with, and he is a newcomer to Facebook and works at a Federal agency, so he has been reticent about making connections (to date).

Is there a grand conclusion to this exercise? Probably, but I’m not sure what it might be. I simply found the idea that my connections have connections in common that group like this to be interesting. But, I guess it also says something that the friends of my friends aren’t mostly rock stars, professional athletes, supermodels, astronauts, TV hosts, movie stars, or famous artists — they’re mostly teachers, scientists, lawyers, engineers, and print journalists. We’re not the ones who have agents negotiating multimillion dollar contracts for us, who have people who want to collect our autographs, and who are stalked by the paparazzi; we’re the ones who know that if we didn’t do what we do for our day jobs, society would cease functioning as a civilized organization.

That’s not a bad place to be highly connected.

About me

A few people have been quick to claim that the fault is that the shooter had a handgun.

I agree that guns, used carelessly or in the hands of idiots and criminals are a bad idea. But I am equally convinced, after a lifetime of working with law enforcement, the military, and the others, that the problem is not ownership or regulation of guns per se. So long as there is a minimum standard of competency and criminal background check made on those who purchase a weapon, it is probably not a problem. People who buy diesel fuel and ammonium nitrate (to make ANFO) are also dangerous, as are those who buy axes! Yet there are many, many legitimate purchases and uses of those every day.

The shooter in this recent case was determined and attacked at short range. Without a handgun he might have used a suicide bomb (to worse effect), or run his car into the crowd. Someone with strong intent will make use of whatever means may be available.

Currently, there are about 200 million firearms in private possession in the US, of which about 65 million are handguns. There were about 12,600 criminal gun-related deaths in the US in 2007 ( most recent detailed cdc.gov numbers) (and 2/3 of those are felon on felon). Let’s see that’s…. 12,600/200,000,000 == .000063, is .0063% percent of guns in the US involved in criminal deaths (actually, less than that because some guns accounted for multiple deaths).

From those same CDC figures, there were 41,000 drunk driving fatalities recorded, all of which were criminal (by definition). There may have been more as hit-and-runs and where the driver was not tested for alcohol, but we’ll stick with that number. The US DOT estimates there are 254 million registered vehicles in the US and we’ll assume the same number in 2007. Thus, 41,000/254,000,000 == .000161 … that’s at least 2.5 times the number of gunshot deaths! Holy Pinto, Batman! We should ban alcohol and automobiles right away! They’re a menace! It’s not guns you should worry about, but drunk people on the road — especially if you’re not a felon!

Or, let’s look at tobacco. In 2007, 438,000 people died from the effects of tobacco, including exposure to second-hand smoke. That’s 35 times as many fatalities as all firearms deaths in the US, yet the pressures to ban tobacco are hardly as strong.

The argument is that firearms are primarily used to threaten or hurt others, but that isn’t the case with tobacco or cars. That isn’t really accurate. Firearms are used by many for hunting, for sport (target shooting), and as a means of providing protection against animals. Many guns kept for self protection are never used to threaten another person, and are never used to hurt another, either, as seen by the figures above. Meanwhile, people know that tobacco is dangerous, and that drinking while driving can harm others. The nature of intent is thus not quite so clear.

People who aren’t around responsible users of firearms, and who haven’t been trained in their use tend to be skittish about them. That is understandable. The same is true about other things, such as corrosive chemicals, poisons, and explosives. Firearms aren’t toys. Neither is HCl nor cyanide nor C4 nor dynamite. They have their uses. They should be handed with care. Users should be trained. Their misuse should be punished. And there will be people who misuse them, especially people with mental problems. But as with many things in our society that are dangerous, controversial, or challenging, the temptation to ban that which we don’t understand because we fear it should be resisted — whether it is a firearm, the Koran, or somebody’s pink vibrating love toy. Especially when the incidence of abuse is low, and there are identifiable positive uses (which I am not convinced is the case with tobacco, btw).

Living in the real world means things happen. Sometimes, things happen suddenly and unexpectedly. We have systems in place (police, fire departments, etc) to respond, but it is important to note that it takes time to get them there, and sometimes that interval between discovery of a problem and getting resolution is critical.

It is a good idea to be a bit proactive to know how to respond in general ways to crisis situations. Advanced preparation can make all the difference. I had training as an EMT first responder (long ago) and taught for the Red Cross (long ago), plus my work in security has made me a little more paranoid. But there are some basic things each and every one of us can do to make us less likely to be a victim and more likely to be able to help others until more professional help is available.

The following are bare-bones basic things worth trying to do to prepare for a real emergency. (I started to write this as email to a couple of friends and it sort of grew into this longer post. Additions and suggestions welcomed in the feedback.)

Training

Take a basic CPR course from the Red Cross or American Heart Association. These are often free or low cost (make a donation if you can), and only take a few hours. Even if you don’t have time to renew it, make the time for a class. I know of a few cases where this resulted in saving a life.

If you can spare more time, take the Red Cross Basic First Aid course. It might be a weekend, or a few nights, but you’ll learn the really basic issues of how to respond to injuries. (There is an advanced course if you have the time.)

A more advanced step would be to take any courses offered via employer or community group on handling violence in the workplace, R.A.D. (rape avoidance and defense for women), and general self-defense and protection. (Note: mace, a knife or a gun requires training to use properly, and have legal implications. Research those carefully if you are considering them.)

Most basic concept for critical support is A-B-C — airway, bleeding, circulation. Check and clear the airway (and do artificial respiration if needed), stop severe bleeding, and give CPR if necessary, in that order. Anyone not needing one of those three will probably last at least 30 minutes for an ambulance. Without aid for those 3, however, and there is little hope for survival to the 5 minute mark.

Basic idea for bleeding is to apply direct pressure on the wound with as clean an item as you can quickly grab; stopping the bleeding is more important than finding something sterile. Your bare hand will do if nothing else is available, although if you have any open wounds and you don’t know the medical history of the person bleeding this is not a good idea. If it is an extremity, elevate it. If there is a bone broken, try to keep the break immobilized. If someone may have a neck or back injury definitely keep them immobilized! Keep an injured person warm as shock will set in — this means blankets or other cover if you have them, and something other than cold ground or concrete under them (if you can move them).

Supplies

Try to have a stock of basic first aid supplies on hand. The most important ones for emergency use are sterile pads (gauze not cotton) and some pressure bandages or ties. Having sterile saline solution to flush out eyes or animal bites is useful, too. Beyond that, you don’t need a lot more unless you’ve got training how to use it in a significant emergency.

Having a couple of flashlights with charged batteries is important with spares nearby.

Having enough drinking water on hand for a day or two generally isn’t a big concern until you need it after the power goes out or there is a break in the water supply. Having some sealed bottles is maybe not a bad idea. However, if you keep in mind that you can immediately shut off the gas/electricity to your water heater, and shut off the water supply into the heater, that will reserve 20-50 gallons of clean water. (You will have to open a tap and take the water out of the drain on the heater, using gravity, but that isn’t too bad. Be sure to shut off the inflow from the water supply to prevent contamination from a break, etc.)

Have smoke detectors in each bedroom and in the halls/rooms outside the bedrooms. One in the kitchen is also good. These are not that expensive, but lives are precious.

Consider a carbon monoxide detector too, with the same comment on cost.

Get a home fire extinguisher for every floor of your home, at least 10 A-B rated. Make sure everyone in the family knows how to use them. You can find these at moderate to low cost, too.

Planning Ahead

Know the phone number for your emergency response. In most places in the US that is 9-1-1.

Consider having your cell phone in reach of where you sleep so you can call if you need to without even getting out of bed. A flashlight should be kept at hand, too.

Check that the batteries in your smoke alarms work. If you don’t have smoke alarms, get some! Mark your calendar to check the batteries in these at least once a year.

Check the charge level in your fire extinguishers at least once a year. Get recharges or new ones if needed.

Know how to exit wherever you sleep using at least 2 different routes. If one path is blocked by a fire or structural problem you will need the other. Think how you’d do it if there was smoke and you could not see (you should always crawl if there is a fire — smoke rises and the better air is near the floor). In airplanes, know where the exits are ahead and behind you. In a restaurant or theater, know where the exits are.

Know the way to a nearby clinic with a doctor, and to the nearest hospital ER. Make sure you know how to get there if you must drive. Generally, for really critical events you are better off waiting for an ambulance with a trained crew if you are more than 10 minutes away from the hospital, including worse-case traffic and traffic lights IF they will respond quickly.

Consider having a home generator (at least a small one), fuel to run it, and a long outdoors-use extension cord. How much fuel? Enough to run the generator, at least off-and-on, for the longest you might be without being able to get more fuel. Be sure the fuel is stored in safe containers designed for such storage. Extension cord length? Long enough so you can run the generator OUTDOORS (avoid carbon monoxide risk and possible fire risk when refueling) and still have the cord reach anywhere indoors you might need the power. (You might want to consider a chain and padlock to secure the generator, too — if you need it, others might too, and it could disappear when you aren’t watching it.) Uses: sump pumps, power saw, medical equipment, electric griddle to cook food, radio/TV for information, chargers for cell phones, electric space heater, etc.

Have a basement that might flood with no power? Consider getting a hand-powered pump, or have a Bernoulli water-powered siphon pump installed as a backup. Electric pumps only make sense if you have an emergency generator.

Rent a safety-deposit box at a bank and put your important documents there rather than in a safe at home. The bank vault is fireproof and floodproof (if they have done it right). In the US, a deposit box rental fee is tax deductible.

If Something Happens

The first rule is always — don’t panic! If you act without careful consideration you might become a victim too, and that makes things worse. Mentally ask yourself what you are going to do first, then second, then next. Ask yourself what would be the outcome if those steps don’t work or go bad, and adjust the outcome accordingly. You probably have a shot of adrenaline, so force yourself to be deliberate. Your single biggest tool is thinking carefully!

If your smoke alarms go off, don’t rush through closed doors — feel them first to make sure there is no flame on the other side (don’t touch a metal handle first!). Note that opening the door may let in a cloud of smoke, so stay close to the floor if you open the door. If there is heat and you can’t get out another way, try to jam things along the bottom of the door to keep smoke out, and hang a sheet out the window to mark it for attention when the fire department gets there.

If you have power out and flooding in a basement, remember that water and electricity don’t mix well — especially if you are using a generator for a pump. Don’t let cords drop into the water. Instead, locate the pump in a higher area and put the intake down into the water.

Someone complaining of pressure in the chest or pains in the chest, neck or arms should get to a hospital right away to be checked for heart problems. Loss of coordination, speech, balance may be signs of a stroke and require immediate attention. Sudden confusion or disorientation can be the result of extreme fever, stroke, heart problems, or diabetic reaction — all of which require emergency medical involvement. Don’t be talked out of it — let trained, responding personnel decide. Any significant blow to the head, especially if it causes any loss of consciousness should be evaluated at an ER. Sustained fevers above 102 warrant at least calling a doctor (104 and above should be immediate), as does continuous vomiting or diarrhea for longer than about 6 hours.

Get everyone to a safe place before calling 9-1-1 if it is a fire. It is a risky idea to return into a burning building to try to rescue people you think may be inside — they might have left through a different exit, or they might be safe (for now) in a closed room waiting for the fire department. Rushing inside without proper breathing equipment may get you injured or killed.

If you have an emergency and called for an ambulance or police, have someone turn on exterior lights, and if the weather and conditions warrant it, stand outside to signal that it is the right place and guide them in. This is especially good if you want to get someone out from underfoot in dealing with the problem, but don’t have children do it.

If something has happened that power lines are down, be sure to tell that to the 9-1-1 operator so the power company can be dispatched. And always stay well away from the lines.

If you smell gas, exit immediately and leave the door open. Do not turn on lights or use your phone until you are outside. If you are at a wooden window, open it before you exit, but don’t waste time opening lots of them. Get away from the building.

If you see an accident occur while driving do NOT jam on your brakes. Instead, pull well off the side the road to a safe location. Call 9-1-1 and give preliminary information (location, direction of travel, number/type of vehicles). Only approach the accident site to render aid if you are COMPLETELY sure that you can do so safely without danger from oncoming vehicles. Do NOT attempt to move unconscious or badly injured people from a wrecked vehicle unless there is a fire in progress or similar immediate threat, or if you cannot otherwise render A-B-C first aid — many crashes involve head and neck injuries and movement makes them worse. Try to check the condition of everyone (including some who might have been thrown from vehicles) before rendering direct first aid — the first person you come to is not always the most badly injured. Often the best thing you can do is get everyone away from the roadway and the wrecks to a safer location to await professional response.

Most people have no idea what to do in an emergency, and are often stunned. Take command if you know what to do. Someone without a clue will often listen to someone with the air of authority. But remember, if you start giving directions you are taking responsibility, too, so be sure you know you are doing the right things and there is no one better qualified at the scene,

Other tips?

If you have other tips you think are worthwhile, post them in the comments.

And the next time you encounter a first responder — police, fire, rescue, ambulance, and others — consider saying thank you. They train a lot, work long hours for lousy pay and benefits, and sometimes put themselves in harm’s way to be sure we don’t have to cope with all of life’s disasters on our own. They often see us when we are most distressed and we take them for granted. I know they appreciate kind words during more “normal” times.

Have a safe and uneventful springtime.