Technology

Speak Geek, or at Least Fake It

How many technical acronyms do you encounter without knowing what the letters stand for?

Published

2 years ago

May 2, 2021

Jeff Davidson

By now you know that URL stands for Uniform Resource Locator. You’ve probably long known that HTTP means HyperText Transfer Protocol, and that USB stands for Universal Serial Bus.

How many other geeky acronyms do you encounter in the course of a week or a month without at least knowing what the letters stand for?

Tech Terms

Here, for your edification, are 36 such business, computer, and general purpose acronyms, so that the geeks realize you might know a little something about their world:

ASCII = American Standard Code for Info. Interchange
ATM = Asynchronous Transfer Mode
CPU = Central Processing Unit
DCIM = Digital Camera IMages
DNS = Domain Name System
DRAM = Dynamic Random Access Memory

DVD = Digital Video Disk and, later, Digital Versatile Disc
DVR = Digital Video Recorder
HTML = Hypertext Markup Language
IMAP = Internet Message Access Protocol
IRC = Internet Relay Chat
IP = Internet Protocol

ISBN = International Standard Book Number
ISDN = Integrated Services Digital Network
ISO = International Standard for Organization
ISP = Internet Service Provider
LASER = Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation
LED = Light-Emitting Diode

MPEG = Moving Picture Experts Group
MODEM = Modulator-Demodulator
OCR = Optical Character Recognition
PDF = Portable Document Format
RADAR = Radio Detection And Ranging
RFID = Radio Frequency Identification

SCUBA = Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus
SDRAM = Synchronous Dynamic Random Access
SEO = Search Engine Optimization
SIM = Security Information Management
SMS = Short Message Service
SMTP = Simple Mail Transfer Protocol

TCP/IP = Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol
WIFI = Wireless Fidelity
UPC = Universal Product Code
USP = Unique Selling Proposition
VLAN = Virtual Local Area Network
VPN = Virtual Private Network

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Jeff Davidson is the world's only holder of the title "The Work-Life Balance Expert®" as awarded by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. He is the premier thought leader on work-life balance, integration, and harmony. Jeff speaks to organizations that seek to enhance their overall productivity by improving the effectiveness of their people. He is the author of Breathing Space, Simpler Living, Dial it Down, and Everyday Project Management. Visit www.BreathingSpace.com for more information on Jeff's keynote speeches and seminars, including: Managing the Pace with Grace® * Achieving Work-Life Balance™ * Managing Information and Communication Overload®

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Business

SAVE YOURSELF: Is This The Surefire Way to Protect Your Money in the Inevitable Financial Meltdown?

Decentralized finance (DeFi) has emerged as a revolutionary technology.

Published

1 month ago

May 9, 2023

Chris Widener

Don’t miss Rich Dad Poor Dad’s Robert Kiyosaki in this absolutely free webinar: The Coming Financial Tsunami. Learn how to protect yourself and your loved ones. Click here NOW to register!

CAN DECENTRALIZED FINANCE BE THE WAY TO SAVE YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY FROM MELTDOWNS AND TYRANNY?

Decentralized finance (DeFi) is built on the blockchain, which offers a wide range of financial services without the need for intermediaries such as banks or other financial institutions. DeFi has emerged as a popular alternative to traditional finance, offering a more open, transparent, and decentralized financial system. In this article, we will explore why DeFi can protect you from a coming financial meltdown and from tyrannical governments.

DeFi is built on the blockchain, which means that it is inherently decentralized. This means that there is no central authority controlling the system, and all transactions are verified and validated by a distributed network of nodes. This makes the system more resilient and less vulnerable to attack or manipulation. Unlike traditional financial systems, where central authorities have the power to manipulate the system, DeFi is designed to be transparent and immutable.

One of the main advantages of DeFi is that it offers greater financial freedom and control to users. DeFi allows users to access a wide range of financial services without the need for intermediaries. This means that users can transact directly with each other, without having to go through banks or other financial institutions. This gives users greater control over their finances and reduces the risks associated with centralized financial systems.

Another advantage of DeFi is that it is highly transparent. All transactions on the blockchain are public and can be verified by anyone. This means that there is no room for fraud or manipulation, as all transactions are visible to all participants in the network. This level of transparency is not possible in traditional financial systems, where transactions are often opaque and difficult to track.

DeFi also offers greater security to users. Transactions on the blockchain are secured using cryptography, making them virtually impossible to hack or manipulate. This means that users can trust the system, knowing that their funds are secure. Traditional financial systems, on the other hand, are often vulnerable to cyberattacks and fraud, which can result in significant financial losses.

Don’t miss Rich Dad Poor Dad’s Robert Kiyosaki in this absolutely free webinar: The Coming Financial Tsunami. Learn how to protect yourself and your loved ones. Click here NOW to register!

Furthermore, DeFi is designed to be more inclusive and accessible to everyone. Unlike traditional financial systems, which often have high barriers to entry, DeFi is open to anyone with an internet connection. This means that people who are unbanked or underbanked can access financial services that were previously unavailable to them. This inclusivity is important because it helps to reduce financial inequality and promotes greater financial inclusion.

Finally, DeFi is more resilient than traditional financial systems. DeFi is built on a decentralized network of nodes, which means that there is no single point of failure. This makes the system more resilient to attacks and more resistant to financial meltdowns. In traditional financial systems, a single point of failure can have catastrophic consequences, as we saw in the 2008 financial crisis.

DeFi is a new and exciting financial system that offers a wide range of benefits over traditional finance. It is transparent, secure, accessible, and resilient, making it an attractive option for people who are looking to protect themselves from a coming financial meltdown. While DeFi is still in its early stages, it has the potential to transform the world of finance, offering a more open, transparent, and decentralized financial system for everyone.

SEVEN BENEFITS OF DECENTRALIZED FINANCE

Decentralized finance (DeFi) has emerged as a revolutionary technology that enables individuals to conduct financial transactions without the need for intermediaries such as banks or financial institutions. DeFi uses blockchain technology, which provides a transparent and secure way of conducting financial transactions. In this article, we will discuss the benefits of decentralized finance, along with a brief overview of crypto and blockchain.

Overview of Crypto and Blockchain

Crypto refers to digital currencies that use cryptography to secure financial transactions and control the creation of new units. Bitcoin, which was created in 2009, is the most well-known cryptocurrency. It is based on blockchain technology, which is a decentralized ledger that records transactions in a transparent and secure manner. Blockchain technology provides a secure and tamper-proof way of recording transactions, making it ideal for use in financial transactions.

Benefits of Decentralized Finance

Lower Transaction Costs

Decentralized finance provides a cost-effective way of conducting financial transactions. Traditional financial systems are often plagued by high transaction costs, which are passed on to customers. DeFi eliminates the need for intermediaries, which means that transaction costs are significantly lower. This makes it easier for individuals to access financial services and reduces the barriers to entry for new players in the market.

Greater Accessibility

DeFi provides greater accessibility to financial services, particularly for individuals who are unbanked or underbanked. In many parts of the world, people do not have access to traditional banking services due to various factors such as lack of documentation, poor credit history, or living in remote areas. DeFi provides a way for these individuals to access financial services using only a smartphone and an internet connection. This has the potential to increase financial inclusion and reduce poverty.

Increased Transparency

One of the main benefits of blockchain technology is its transparency. Transactions recorded on the blockchain are publicly visible, making it easier to trace the flow of funds. This provides a level of transparency that is not possible with traditional financial systems. Decentralized finance leverages this transparency to provide greater accountability and reduce the risk of fraud. This makes DeFi a more secure and trustworthy way of conducting financial transactions.

Robert Kiyosaki on the Coming Financial Tsunami

More Control Over Personal Data

Traditional financial systems often require individuals to provide personal data such as name, address, and social security number. This data is stored by banks and financial institutions, making it vulnerable to hacks and breaches. DeFi provides individuals with more control over their personal data by using self-sovereign identity solutions. These solutions enable individuals to control their own data and share it only with the parties they trust.

Greater Flexibility

Decentralized finance provides greater flexibility in terms of financial products and services. Traditional financial systems are often rigid, with limited options for customers. DeFi provides a range of financial products and services, including loans, savings accounts, insurance, and investment products. This gives individuals greater flexibility to choose the financial products and services that meet their specific needs.

Faster Settlement Times

Blockchain technology enables faster settlement times for financial transactions. Traditional financial systems often require several intermediaries to process transactions, which can take several days. With DeFi, transactions are processed directly on the blockchain, which means that settlement times can be as fast as a few seconds. This provides greater convenience for customers and reduces the risk of errors and delays.

Reduced Counterparty Risk

Traditional financial systems often involve counterparty risk, which is the risk that one party will fail to fulfill its obligations in a financial transaction. DeFi eliminates counterparty risk by using smart contracts, which are self-executing contracts that automatically execute when certain conditions are met. This provides greater security and reduces the risk of fraud and default.

Conclusion

Decentralized finance is a revolutionary technology that has the potential to transform the financial industry. By eliminating intermediaries, increasing accessibility, increasing transparency, providing more control over personal data, offering greater flexibility, enabling faster settlement times, and reducing counterparty risk, DeFi provides numerous benefits that traditional financial systems cannot match. As DeFi continues to evolve, it has the potential to create a more equitable and inclusive financial system that benefits individuals and communities around the world.

The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial or investment advice. Investing in decentralized finance (DeFi) and cryptocurrencies involves risk and may result in significant financial losses. Readers are advised to conduct their own research and seek the advice of a financial professional before investing in DeFi or cryptocurrencies. The author and publisher of this article are not responsible for any losses incurred as a result of investing in DeFi or cryptocurrencies.

Politics

The Great Northeast Blackout, with More to Come

Given the current Presidential administration’s ineptitude, expect strange events on the horizon

Published

1 month ago

May 4, 2023

Jeff Davidson

One afternoon after school, I accompanied my father to the Hartford JCC swimming pool on Bloomfield Avenue, just over the line in West Hartford, Connecticut. Several days a week, after his job as a vice principal in Hartford, he served as head lifeguard from late afternoon to evening. It was cool in my youth to have the run of the pool as I so often did.

I was in the lifeguard office playing around with the lights a few minutes before half past five, while my father was watching the pool several dozen yards around the corner. One of my juvenile games back then was to flip the lights on and off so quickly that no one in the pool could tell that anyone had tampered with the lights. My father was sharp, however, and after a few times, he yelled out from afar, “Jeff, stop playing with the lights,” and I immediately and permanently stopped doing so.

Now Comes the Real Fun

No more than a minute later, the lights went off in the entire pool area and only one small light from an independent power generator was illuminated. My father yelled out again, “I told you to stop playing with the lights.” I came out of the office door and looked down the length of the pool. I said, “It wasn’t me.”

We looked outside at the parking lot and saw that no lights were on. I went up the stairs, opened the door, and looked at the rest of the facilities, and all of the lights were off except for, once again, some small lights powered by emergency generators.

The lights remained off for several more minutes and my father had no choice but to close the pool. We found some flashlights and ushered people into the locker rooms. Other staff from around the center assisted people in gathering up their belongings and exiting the building.

The Proverbial “Dark and Dreary Night”

On the drive home, at once we noticed that all street lights in West Hartford and Bloomfield, and all lights that we normally would see from houses along our route were also off. The car radio was working and we learned from a local station that the entire metro area, and perhaps the whole region, had gone dark.

By the time we arrived home, we heard a newscast which reported that the entire Northeast had gone dark. This was the Great Northeast Blackout of 1965. It was the first time this had ever happened in the U.S., and it was stunning. Until then, one had always assumed that flipping the light switch would result in your lights coming on.

During the blackout, families retrieved the flashlights, candles, and transistor radios. They made their homes as comfortable as possible. It wasn’t too cold that November evening, so I imagine most places in at least our geographic region were okay.

With no television, families members actually spoke to each other. People listened to the radio, took walks, or camped around the kitchen table and devoured what they could eat safely before food would begin to spoil. Such a time!

Larger Forces at Play

To this today, I succinctly remember my father directing me for a second time not to play with the lights when, indeed, on this second Tuesday in November much larger forces were at play!

Nowadays, I contemplate how long it will be before the electrical grid in some part of the country goes haywire. We’ve already witnessed massive airline transportation boondoggles; toxic train derailments, a curious string of fires at large-scale food processing plants, baby formula shortages, blatant crimes sprees in all major Democrat-run cities, 5+ million illegal aliens flooding out borders, healthcare and relocation for such illegals, and depletion of our strategic energy reserves.

Also, major military bungles in Afghanistan and elsewhere, military wokiness over military preparedness, nuclear weapons brinkmanship, out-of-control funding for Ukraine, a plethora of Chinese spy balloons traversing the U.S., intensified weaponization of the DoJ and the FBI, unprecedented deficit spending, runaway inflation, adolescent and preadolescent genital mutilation in the name of ‘warranted’ sex-change operation, and so much more that is totally undesirable.

So, will our electrical grid fail somewhere? Given the current Presidential administration’s ineptitude, really, it’s only matter of time.

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