Did you check out the Raspberry Pi article in this week’s wired.com?
Augusta Tek’ers know all about Raspberry Pi. We first wrote about it back in July, and since then, the $35 credit card sized computer has continued to grow in popularity. Originally developed to provide an educational experience for those interested in computers (i.e., “tinkering”), the Raspberry Pi is being adopted to provide the raw compute cycles for any smart device you can imagine.
Last month, Chris Williamson showed up at the Hack for Education with a half dozen of the devices to power the Hack. A quick read of the wired.com article (“8 Cool Raspberry Pi Projects for Diminutive Computing Fun”) provides a glimpse of what a little innovation can create.
Do you need a working video game console for the American Girl dollhouse? Done. You say you don’t like the breadboard look of the raw Raspberry Pi? Well, why not create an enclosure with a 3-D printer. Are you an artist looking to work a medium other than oils and watercolors? Try Lightpainting using addressable RGB LEDs and a Raspberry Pi controller. It’s a new medium with your imagination as your only limit. Updating Privacy — An update to the 1986 Electronic Communications Privacy Act is slowly making its way through Congress. Last week a pro-privacy bill passed the Senate Judiciary Committee that requires police to get a warrant before seizing your email, effectively extending current privacy rights for hard-copy documents to electronic media. (Current law and court precedent indicate that email and other personal data stored in the cloud can be seized in many cases without a warrant and without notification of the seizure.)
The law enforcement community strongly opposes the bill on the grounds that it will impede investigations. In response, law enforcement groups are lobbying for provisions that would require internet providers to store text messages for two years “just in case” they are needed.
I don’t know about you, but the idea of Verizon or Comcast creating a private database of all my communication for Richard Roundtree or Clay Whittle to sift through is just kind of creepy. Season of Giving — This is the time of the year where we traditionally acknowledge the grace we’ve received and return that kindness to others, usually by providing gifts of value to those that are truly in need. Unfortunately, this spirit is being lost in a political climate where so many demand an entitlement to the productivity of others. While those on the left won’t say it directly, the message is clear: When one has so much to start with, any assistance or gifts that are offered cannot be considered sincere.
While this type of argument plays well in politics, in reality, no government redistribution scheme will ever match the effectiveness of a voluntary sacrifice given in love. If you’ve been blessed this year and would like to help others this season, please consider giving to your favorite charity or religious group. If you don’t have a favorite, I work with the following groups. Your gift will not be taken for granted, and it will go to help those that are truly in need.
Junior League of Augusta — jlaugusta.org
Ronald McDonald House of Augusta — rmhcaugusta.org
Easter Seals of East Georgia — ga-ea.easterseals.com
Until next time, I’m off the grid @gregory_a_baker.You Might Also Like:
