The Ecommerce Architecture

Learning & Understanding Ecommerce Infrastructure

Cheswick/Burch Map of the Internet

Introduction

The main reason why Plow of the Sea, Inc [PotS], a small but prospering corporation has hired me, as a Networking Security Engineer [NSE], it is that the top management has recently decided to develop a competitive ecommerce or eBusiness presence. One of my main goals was to obtain the adequate executive level support for designing and implementing the networking security policy and conduct an enterprise wide security, education and awareness program. Even though, for the most part the network architecture has been already implemented, its security has not been properly developed, possibly because the lack of staff training or awareness about the importance that information systems security plays in the success of PotS, Inc’s ecommerce ventures. In this blog post, I am briefly identifying, describing and discussing the main topologies that are used to design and implement networks and internetworks that facilitate commercial online or web transactions and for such they can be considered as the network infrastructure and the bare bones of the ecommerce (Course, 2008).

Exploring Networks

At the very beginning of our journey into the realms of networking security, we need to understand the network topologies, that infrastructure whereby the exchange of information remotely or locally is carried on. However, firstly what really is a network? Especially nowadays, when it seems that everything is connected or networked somehow, as our personal information appears to be spinning around the globe many times within a gamut of disparate computing devices, cables and airwaves. Panko (2005); a consultant that has been working for the Whitehouse, gives us a very comprehensive definition of it, he states: “A network is a system of hardware, software, and transmission components that collectively allow two applications programs on two different stations connected to the network to communicate well.” (p. 3, chap 1), I also have another definition, a network is an interconnection of devices to form a pathway on which to exchange a signal, perhaps this concept is the reason why we call a small telephone network an “exchange”.

As we are exploring these concepts in some depth, with the aim to understand how network security is making our personal information and privacy safer, I would like to add that once upon a time and not too long ago, experts were talking about the phenomenon of convergence. During those times corporations needed to have two separate networks, one for voice and video, and other for data. Now with Voice over IP [VoIP], YouTube, Google, mobile wireless connections, Radio-Frequency Identification [RFID], Automatic Identification and Mobility (AIM) et al., convergence seems to be a done deal and corporations nowadays only need to implement one single enterprise network as a solution for all their telecommunications and data networking needs (Panko, 2003). Therefore, we should discuss networking topologies to increase our awareness over the network infrastructure and the challenges therein about its protection.

Network topologies

Barabási & Réka (1999) implied that the difficulties to describe, and for such to understand, complex networks rest in their topologies (p. 2-11), therefore is not a bad idea at all to become familiar with some of the nuances behind network topologies. Experts refer to network topologies when they are describing configurations of connected computers or information systems [IS]. This terminology can lead to confusions, for instance there are two types of networking topologies: [1] physical and [2] logical (or signal topology) logical topology describes the methods and algorithms used to pass information among computer and network components (Tomasi, chap. 17, p. 515). I usually differentiate these two topologies by thinking in the differences therein between hardware and software. Hardware is anything that can be touched, i.e., tangible; and software is those several sequences of instructions that it is used to process data for obtaining desired information, and for such is intangible (the spirit in the machine). It just flows from one point to other, in a stream of a bunch of zeros and ones, and so we are able to save it in many formats, within those various network components and storage devices, whether locally or remotely elsewhere.

Network design & Physical Topology

Once we have identified and evaluate our business concerns and opportunities in terms of desired data processing capacity, information transaction volume requirements and communications needs, we are in the position to design the information system that shall meet the demands imposed by those needs and requirements. The first step is to figure out what are the hardware and software elements that could substantiate the business model for putting the ecommerce site into ‘massive’ motion. Once we have identified and acquired the necessary resources, its time for assembling the network and so the need to arrange and organize these components so they can interoperate well.

Physical topology is the layout and configuration assigned by the system designers to connect two o more devices for sharing information over the network. The Physical topology involves the distribution of devices in a geometrically manner (segmentation) and within a determined geographically area; for example a network can consists of a minimum of two computers or nodes [although nowadays this is highly unlikeable] (Tomasi, 2005,). In fact, all devices or components that can be assigned an address in a Transfer Control Protocol [TCP]/Internet Protocol [IP] network are called nodes. Today connecting two computers is a task that is a piece of cake, but back in those “snickernet” times, two computers connected were considered a real deal, and it did not matter if just they were physically located next to each other.

Two computers, (Personal Computers) PC-to-PC can be connected via Network Interface Cards [NICs], transceivers (Homan, 1998), Universal Serial Bus [USB], serial or parallel ports. Today some people still using this type of connection throughout Universal Twisted-Pair [UTP] Crossover cables, USB cables, or wirelessly, using the ad-hoc mode or Bluetooth, because several different reasons propel them to do so (Russell, 2000, Chap. 4). In reality, the three main types of layouts and their combination thereof define the ABC of the configuration and wiring in networking the physical topology. Thus, we have the following main topologies: [A] Star, [B] Bus, and [C] Ring (Hassing, Kent, & Johnson, 2003).

The differences among Physical Topology

‘Addressing’ in a Local Area Network or LAN for short, changes according to the type of topology selected; LAN addressing could be unicast, one device; multicast, many devices; and broadcast, all devices. For example, the primary feature of the Star topology is that computers are linked to a central device; to either a hub or a switch (just the name of concentrators or electronic boxes use signal distribution), in a point-to-point direct connection. All transmissions enter this central device and are forwarded to all ongoing links. However, there are hubs that are more capable. The smart or managed hubs that allow the configuration of users’ access points for LAN connectivity, for instance, the Cisco’s 1500 Microhub series. Notwithstanding, the central device that is most often used today is the “switch”, this device could detect and save the Media Access Control address [MAC address] from the computers’ NIC cards connected to the network. A switch is able to forward the message, in this case, the frame, to a specific destination. Switches also can be managed, or unmanaged, it all depends of your budget and needs. The Cisco’s Catalyst family switches are managed via the proprietary operating systems [OS] developed by Cisco, called Internetwork OS [IOS]. Hubs are considered a layer 1 devices (by the International Organization for Standardization [ISO [not an acronym, but an Etymological denomination, from the Latin word “iso” meaning equal or standard as applied to all] Open Systems Interconnect [OSI] Reference Model [RM]); as switches are mostly considered Layer 2 (Data link) devices because they use and are able to build a MAC addresses table from the connected computers in the local network. The MAC address is a six hexadecimal number that is edged permanently in each NIC card. This number identifies physically each device in a network. By the way, the IP addresses are considered the logical addresses of the devices (an IP is temporally assigned to the node and can be reassigned). In contrast to the MAC addresses that are seen as the physical address and that cannot be reassigned or this we suppose, there are programs that can modify the MAC address by masking them in away.

Star topology seems to be ideal for troubleshooting since all traffic necessarily needs to flow into the central node, be either this facilitate by a switch or a hub, and thus appears to be very manageable for a small amount of devices and can be easily expanded or scaled as well. For instance, time-sharing systems, database management and word-processing systems are generally configured with a star topology.

The major inconvenience of the star topology is that the network is reliable as the central node or device. If the switch or hub fails then the network also fails, since the other computer would not have ways to contact one to other. Therefore, a central device is a critical resource, because a start network topology will be unable to function at all without it. A centralized network has the syndrome of the always avoided and feared “single point of failure”. This topology is capable of implementing Ethernet or LocalTalk. (Russell, 2005)

Bus topology is a multipoint or multidrop configuration whereby computers are interconnected to a single shared communication channel or transmission medium, thence its name of Bus. Its length is limited because certain attenuation problems; that is, the signals become weaker as they travel throughout the cables o more exactly, the wires. However, weaken signals can be enhanced and boosted by perusing repeaters and/or bridges. In this case the most critical resource is the ‘bus’ itself, because if it would get damaged and depending how and were, it could make the whole network inoperable as well. On the positive side, bus topology networks do not need routing information to be stored or retransmitted, as consequence, all that overhead is gone. However, as the traffic increases, collisions [crashes] among computers also will increase, thus a contention strategy has been ideated under the name of: Carrier Sense Multiple Access with collision Detection [CSMA/CD]. Scalability, is the main issue for the bus topology, it seems cumbersome, to find cables over the ceiling, on the wall or under the floor to connect another computer, this is why wireless networks seem to be such a blessing.

Developers have implemented other topologies to facilitate the expansion of bus network topology, called the Tree topology, consisting in adding more bus segments as a way of branching further the network. For Bus topology and Tree or Hierarchical topology, it is employed the Ethernet standard, this topology is suitable for the utilization of Ethernet and LocalTalk. (Russell, 2000).

Ring topology is a daisy-chained group of connected computers, in which one computer is connected to the other forming a circle or loop. Ring topology facilitates the transmission of messages in one way, one computer to the next, either in counterclockwise or clockwise direction, until the message reaches its final destination. Ring topology devices have to states: Listen or transmitting mode (aided by a signal, i.e., the token). The downside of the Ring topology is that almost every computer needs to retransmit the message (Hassing, Kent, & Johnson, 2003).

From these basic types of network topologies, other types of topologies are generated, such as partial and full mesh, double ring and a combination of two or more topologies, i.e., hybrid topologies. When a router, a layer 3 (of the ISO-OSI-RM) device is used, the network is able to forward packets to other networks, thus in how you are connect to the Internet [the global network made out of networks and for such the host of all the webs]. These types of topologies can then be joined over large geographical areas, constituting internetworks or networks of networks, call accordingly, Wide Area Networks [WAN], Metropolitan Area Networks [MAN], Campus Area Network [CANs] Global Area Networks [GAN] and finally, there we are, the Internet.

Conclusion

One of the main goals of networking security engineering is to bring the highest level possible of information assurance, ciphered in three main areas of information security confidentiality, availability, & integrity. By setting correctly the aforementioned topologies, the designers are being able to understand how to improve the security of the system and reduce the risks therein (Tomasi, 2005; Panko 2005).

For example, ideally, from the very beginning of the network design, and as a networking security engineer [NSE], I recommend the identification of security controls, constrains, requirements and features that would have matched the business requirements. Thus, I am increasing the likelihood that the PotS’s Local Area Networks [LANs] and Wide Area Network [WAN] would be able to operate as intended in the first place. Now, the challenges that we face ahead for initiating the PotS eBusiness venture, are issues associated with risk management, i.e., system’s reliability [downtimes], network management, scalability and performance, and how to offer a level of security for customers so they would be able to feel comfortable to buy products and/or order services from the PotS’s e-catalogue via online services.

References

Barabási, A. & Réka, A. (1999 October 21). Emergence of Scaling in Random Networks. Department of Physics, Notre-Dame, IN: University of Notre-Dame. Retrieved, January 8, 2008, from http://arxiv.org/PS_cache/cond-mat/pdf/9910/9910332v1.pdf.

Hassing, K., Kent, A. K., & Johnson, G. (2003). CCNA 1 & 2 Companion Guide, 3^rd Edition. Cisco Networking Academy Program Indianapolis, IN: 2003.

Homan, C. (1998 October 19). NICs and Transceivers: Overview. UCDavis Network 21. Retrieved, January 8, 2008, from http://net21.ucdavis.edu/nic21rec.htm.

Panko R. R. (2005). Business Data Networks and Telecommunications, 5^th Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall- Pearson Education, Inc.

Russell, T. (2000). Telecommunications Pocket Reference. New York, NY: McGraw- Hill Companies.

Tomasi, W. (2005). Introduction to Data communications and Networking, Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, Inc.

Teilhard de Chardin - Visions from a Pre-Metasemantic Web Era

The Wholly World Wide [Metasemantic] Web

(Please, Click on the image to see the details)

Listen to the Joy of Freedom

One of the most beautiful rhythms in the world: The Lando (Afro-Peruvian)

Nicomedes Santa Cruz died in Madrid in 1992, but he was in all his ways Peruvian and much more than that he was an internationalist who fought with his poems, and Afroperuvian dances and rhythms against the racism and discrimination.

Nicomedes opposed and faced the injustices with art, with beauty and with his deep and well articulated voice. He shared the humanism of a culture that was extracted from one continent, Africa, and inserted into a supposed "new world"; both worlds suffered the same common societal maladies: Exploitation, discrimination, "homo homini lupus". They, the Africans with Americans so called Indians, (a pejorative term) were victims of one of the most cruel of all type of colonialisms: Slavery, despite Nicomedes was able to gather and collect for us, for the rest of the world, the music, the dances, i.e, those mechanisms whereby afroperuvians were able to remain humans, whereas in captivity, they remain somehow free, no matter the abuse, whatever their pain or inhuman condition, they have experienced therein.

Here is just one proof of it, a very rare but exquisite production in the Voice of the mere poet, folklorist, and intellectual Afroperuvian, Don Nicomedes Santa Cruz Gamarra, (another thing is the history of the "Ceviche" and the taste of the afroperuvian food, next in this blog, I will tell you were to go in Peru to enjoy real Peruvian gastronomy while we will continue distilling what is going on at the Metasemantic Web at this site):

Lando

... And the Music grew on us with Cecilia Barraza... "Toro Mata"



Thus the Afroperuvian music was recognized internationally in the voice of Celia Cruz

Enjoy it... Because it means that you are listen to the joy of Freedom as well.

Plausible Effective Change Models for Yahoo & Microsoft Merge

Effective Change Models for Managing Merging Organizations with seemed Conflicting Cultures

By John Manuel K.

This study surveys different change models & how to understand and managing change facing two conflicting cultures in the verge to be merged. For effecting the abstraction, I have named these two corporations with seemingly opposite & conflicting cultures as: "AAA" & "OOO"

Change alone is Unchanging

Heraclites AKA Heraclitus (c. 535- c.475 BC.)

As a result of the identification of many potential conflicting cultural factors between the AAA and the OOO Corporations, and enacting the role as the AAA Director of the Fulfillment Applications of the information department, I became aware of the need to study effective change models not only to manage the merging process between the AAA and the OOO corps., but also to create and strategic plan that it will use to optimize the whole merging process. As a major milestone for creating such a strategic plan, this study starts by exploring three organizational change models, by identifying situations in which their application will be most effective, and finally, by analyzing advantages and/or disadvantages in following these models.

Opposition brings concord.

Out of discord comes the fairest harmony.

Heraclites AKA Heraclitus (c. 535- c.475 BC.)

The Meaning of Change

I understand change as a “flux”, or a process and not as a final product or as a specific result that is manifested before our consciousness as a result of our instantiation of this process under our observation, with the purpose to study a determined object(s), as in here the purpose of study is about organizational Change models. It is a cyclical, episodic or periodic study indeed.

In the first chapter, “the purpose”, of his book [by the way the young Hillary Clinton (our next President), would have had written her thesis about this author]: “Rules for Radicals,” Saul D. Alinsky (1971) wrote: “Change means movement. Movement means friction. Only in the frictionless vacuum of a nonexistent abstract world can movement or change occur without that abrasive friction of conflict.” I assume this quote personifies well what is about to happen between two cultures which seem to have some many ways of doing things differently, as the AAA and OOO corporations: but we are conducting this research to be better equipped to managing an effective change.

It feels lacerating, but as the record shows, if we do not consider the human factors and culture the merging process will be erratically implemented with serious repercussion not only in the morale of the staff but also in our performance and lost of market value, instead to have positive outcome. It would probably defeat the merger’s purpose.

In this regard, I prize the inputs of Jerry (Gerald) Weinberg who has written many books combining seemed equidistant subjects as technical software development and human factors in improving productivity, this is a sort of software anthropology.

In an interview Weinberg explained how he realized the importance of people transformation in the Software Development of Technical organizations, and how this perception lead him to study the work of Virginia Satir, who, Weinberg, indicated that she is often referred as “The Columbus of Family therapy” and how her Satir’s work forms the basis of Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP), basically Weinberg state during this interview what it was his main “discovery”: “…The Software team works together to produce software; the family works to make new people …” (Dorset House Publishing, 2006). Thus, as implausible as it may sound, Weinberg also ‘confessed’ in this interview that he learned more about effective programming from Satir that from any other person in his life (Dorset House Publishing, 2006). Weinberg’s research supports our newly gained understanding that human factors are of primary importance for technical organizations, especially when they are facing an eminent cultural clash as again it seems to be the case with AAA and OOO.

Change Models

Organizations are made by people, thus Virginia Satir estates, “Change happens one person at a time” (Smith, 2006). Weinberg further states that the Satir Change model implies, “… one day at a time, one choice at a time …” (AYE conference, 2006). The whole point is that the organizational change occurs in the individuals, theretofore, in every choice, in every day, in every transaction and the integration of all his “micro-changes”, I will dare to state, quantum changes, will effect and affect a systemic change in the organizations.

Some outcomes will and can be anticipated properly but others that should/could be anticipated, perhaps might be ignored, or not addressed accordingly and thus chaos could and will be the unexpected guest of an otherwise avoided situation. Returning once more to Weinberg writes: “Change is a long-term process, but a living organization lives in the immediate present. Thus, without careful management, long-term change is invariably sacrificed to short-term expedience” (Research Triangular Park, 2006). In this regard, I would rather be effective than efficient.

Thus we can see that organizational changes start at the level of each individual, each transaction, each choice, at everyday, as matter of fact multiple of these changes happens simultaneously, some are perceptible and some are not. As a company in its way to be merged with a company like OOO with antagonistic culture we at AAA must understand some main organizational change models to assist us to put our upcoming merger at easy. There are three main types of organization change models: top-down; transformational leadership; and strategic approaches (Kinsman & Laporte, 2006).

The Satir Merger Model

Figure 1 Satir Change Model

As we can see, the Satir Change Model above (Figure 1), is centered on the tenet that improvement is always possible. Virginia Satir developed this model to assist people to improve their lives by transforming the way they see and express themselves. In this way this change model is transformational in nature. It is a five-phase change model (see Figure 1) displaying the effects each phase has on emotions, cognitive, behaviors and physiology. According to Satir using the principles of this model facilitate how organizations or group process change and how to assist other organization or groups in processing change as well.

This model could be applied in any situation: Before, during and after the completion of the merger. For instance, the phase 1, called the “Late Status Quo” represents AAA culture as is right now, a people-oriented, family like environment whereby there is a sense of belonging, staff knows what to expect, how to react, and how to behave. There are policies and these policies are known and well accepted within the organization (Satir, 1991).

In the second phase, known as “resistance” in this model, the OOO culture is depicted as the “foreign element”, this is the conflict for AAA staff and a probable source of uncertainty, doubt, and discomfort. The Satir Change model allows the understanding of how the situation would appear for the staff since their stability is going to be compromised by the OOO and its conflicting culture. Restless behavior and some another resistance tactics can be developed among the staff as a mechanism of defense. Is in this phase that this model prescribes to assist employees to become aware of their reaction of denial, avoidance or blaming by opening up to others staff members.

I the third phase, in this model: the chaos, the merge eventually has happened and this phase discovers the unknown, because for more plans that management could make always there are many details that remain unknown to us, and for such “obscure.” There will be employees that could feel nervous after the loss of some of their counterparts because the merger and they probably will develop symptoms of anxiety and other characteristic of the sorts. This phase should be expected by managers as erratic periods and also as an opportunity for assisting staff to search for beneficial relationships with the “foreign element” the new staff and culture from OOO. This is the stage where under Satir Change model transformation happens (Weinberg, 1997).

In Phase four, i.e. the integration, the staff of AAA will encounter at least some positive attributes in OOO and in consequence new projects and relationships will be implemented rapidly and with positive energy, and thus we arrive at Phase five: New Status Quo, whereby change have been assimilated, the Merger have been completed and a new environment has emerged and a new sense of accomplishment and enhancing possibilities are permeating this new organization that has been derived from the Merger of AAA and OOO (Satir, 1991).

The advantage of this model is that provides to us proven ways to deal with the entire process of the merger, The Satir Change Model simplifies the scenario of how people react when face change, as in this case a merger, and what management needs to do about in each phase or stage of the process. I hardly see any disadvantage, only that requires a lot planning and support from management since is very granular and its focused in many dimensions, including the physiological reactions of the individuals. I would gladly use this model because it seems to be centered on transforming cultures by assistant each staff member to adapt to the pressing demands of doing so.

Nadler-Tushman Change Model: Key Variables

This model observes how change is managed or face, according to the extent in which change(s) can be anticipated, thus there are two types of changes: Anticipatory changes are planned changes based on expected situations. Example: Insurance needed for Paintings in the Exhibition and reactive changes: Changes made in response to unexpected situations. What decisions you make when you were alone at home and suddenly you fractured your femur and fibula by accident? (Kritner, 2004).

The Nadler and Tushamn model provides the following steps:

1) Identify the problems and Situational analysis - Get support of key power groups

2) Demonstrate leadership support of the change

3) Use symbols / Create identification w/ the change and appearance of a critical mass of support

4) Build in stability

5) Surface/create dissatisfaction w/ the current state

6) Obtain the appropriate levels of participation in planning/implementing change

7) Reward desired behavior in transition to future state

8) Provide time and opportunity to disengage from current state

9) Develop and communicate a clear image of the future state

10) Use multiple and consistent leverage points

11) Use transition devices

12) Obtain feedback about the transition state and evaluate success

This case Model primary advantage is that considers also what we could do when facing unexpected changes, as we know for this merger we need a flexible yet a structure model that guide us in the process, this modes does just that by providing opportunities for disengagement and also using multiple leverage points. One of the best situation to use this model is during the implementation phase when new rules or policies are going to be applied to newly created groups and projects has been formed within perhaps same or new departments. The disadvantage is the amount of time that will take to analyze, and for planning the strategic plan to facilitate this merger.

Models of Action Research: Cummings & Worley Model et al

The majority of research is aimed to create knowledge; action research is a way to conduct studies which engages in both: taking action and creating knowledge constituting a theory of action (Coghlan & Brannick, 2001, p.xi). Organizations use action research models to learn how to change significant aspect of its system by involving their members to actively study their own behaviors, from here action research shows the new knowledge emanated from the self-reflection of the participants on the whole research process.

Many actions action research models exist, all of them includes in their definition as iterative, collaborative, and change effort that involve needs analysis, plan of action based on the needs analysis, implementation of the plan of action and finally evaluation of the process. I identified four of this models Cummings and Worley Model, Burke’s Adaptation of W. L. French classic 11–step Model, Frohman, Sashkin and Kavanagh’s Seven-Phase Model and Pearce and Robinsons Six-Step Model. The entire aforementioned models are very similar but the most notable or the one that is more referred, in my literature review, is the Cummings and Worley Model (Cummings & Worley, 1991, p. 155) here is the well delineated stages:

1) Motivating Change creating readiness for change and overcoming resistance to change

2) Creating a Vision - Describing the Core Ideology and Constructing the Envisioned Future

3) Development political support -- Assessing Change Agent Power and Identifying Key stakeholders and Influencing stakeholders.

4) Managing the Transition - Activity Planning and commitment planning and management structure.

5) Sustaining Momentum - Providing Resources for Change and Building a Support System for Change Agents and Developing New Competencies and Skills and Reinforcing New Behaviors

The Cummings and Worley model takes in account the anxiety and other emotional factors introducing in its first “prescription”: Motivating change by creating readiness for change, very interesting concept, it includes leadership because it compel to create a vision a core ideology, in this sense is also a transformational change mode. And takes in account the power by identifying key people, I think that this model also is applicable for the merger, especially in the planning and commitment for facilitate the merger by creating appropriate structures of management to sustain development into a new culture.

There are many advantages, in using this model principally; it is straight forward, as it appears to be easy to follow, and on the other hand, few disadvantages can be noticed about this model, perhaps is too compact and lack of specificity to anticipate unknowns.

In closing we have idenfied tree change models: The Satir Change, Nadler & Tushman, and the Cummings & Worley Change model. We have explored situations in which they can be utilized and finally, we analyze each model, according to their advantage or disadvantages in following these models.

References

Alinsky, S. D. (1971). Rules for Radicals. New York: Random House.

Anderson, P. & Tushman, M. L. (eds.) (2004). Managing Strategic Innovation and Change - a Collection of Readings - Second Edition. New York: Oxford University

AYE (Amplifying Your Effectiveness) Conference. NoMoreResolutions. Retrieved January 25, 2006, from http://www.ayeconference.com/wiki/scribble.cgi?read=NoMoreResolutions.

Burke, W. W. (1982). Organization development: Principles and practices. Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman.

Coghlan, D., & Brannick, T. (2000). Doing action research in your own organization. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Cummings, T. G. & Worley C. G. (2001). Organization Development and Change - Seventh Edition.Mason, OH: South-Western College Publishing - Thomson Learning.

The Best Guitar Song Ever: The persistence of a Meme

RollingStone has nominated the 100 greatest guitar songs of all the times The Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode ": What do you think? Anyways, it has passed a little more than 50 years since January 1958 when this song was introduced in the market of music, so let us hear the song again and again and ...

Jimi Hendrix playing the song is his own style

Judas Priest couldn't left this song alone and here is the sound

An the song survives still, here is Green Day's interpretation

Go Johnny go .... hundred of years more

Human 2.0: The Opportunities and the Risks of Creating Powerful Tecnologies

Memory at the Molecular level

The Death of Death: The Picture of Aubrey de Grey

"With Reason, Without Reason or Against Reason, I don't want to die!"

Don Miguel de Unamuno

The man of flesh and bone; the man who is born, suffers, and dies—above all, who dies; the man who eats and drinks and plays and sleeps and thinks and wills; the man who is seen and heard; the brother, the real brother."

From Chap 1, Tragic Sense Of Life

The Methuselah Foundation Chairman wants you to live 1,000 years or even more...

Is immortality possible?
Aubrey de Grey believes it is..

Part 1

Part 2


Part 3 - With Marvin Minsky

Part 4

Metasemantic II - Understanding the Clash of the Wikis and all the Pedias

As Thomas Friedman has told us the world is flat, but not really, we know that it is not, perhaps there are many worlds, and many maps made out of the same planet and there may be many encyclopedias. Now, we are facing the battle for knowledge as new domains are starting to emerge under the same sun and moon... So lets us compare the opposing views in here, later we will continue elucidating the origins of these memes and the foundations of Metasemantics....

Conservepedia



Some Comments Published by the mere "Conservators"

"Broad and Alien is the World"

The Peruvian Ciro Alegría's novel "Broad and alien is the World has been recently published by Merlin Press in the United Kingdom. [ISBN 0850362822]

Rocking at the Red Rocks

Learn Hiragana & Katakana & make it better

Learn in Here or Here and enjoy...

The talent of the net



So Remember... Then you begin to make it better

Ecology - Ernst Haeckel

Web Mud Time searching: In the semantics of Robert Frost

My Object in living is to unite

My avocation is my vocation

As my two eyes make one sight.

Only where love and need are one.

And the work is play for mortal stakes,

Is the deed ever really done

For heavens and Future sakes.

Robert Frost, "Two Tramps in Mud Time"

""The Poetry of Robert Frost" by Edvard Connery, ed. New York, NY: Henry Holle Co. 1968

The Oldest City of America

Sechin Bajo has been confirmed as 5,500 years old city by German and Peruvian Archeologists. The Archeological Institute of America has published in his magazine "Archeology," that Sechin Bajo is "the oldest monument of America," and points that the city presents a circular structure of 46 feet (14 meters), while the Peruvian "National Institute of Culture" in the voice of César Pérez stated "It's an impressive find; the scientific and archeology communities are very happy." Sechin Bajo is 500 years older than the city "Caral" (5,000 years old ) and it is located in "Casma" a 370 kilometers (circa 230 miles) away from the capital of Peru, Lima. Sechin Bajo places the American ancient culture as one of the only six places in which people started to live in cities some 5,000 years ago, together with, China, India, Mesopotamia, Mesoamerica, and Egypt.

Sechin Bajo Modeling by Dr. Peter R. Fuchs & Prof. Dr. Eng. Perter Mesenburg

The Oldest University of America

This Wikipedia "Conversation" solves a lot of problems about the controversy on which is the oldest University of America and why.

The oldest university of America controversy

Well, I love the page, and I am living in New York for so long, preaching about that San Marcos is the oldest Univ. but having to deal with many, many people especially with the Dominicans, who claim the contrary, I have almost believed them. Well good arguments and facts now I have more "ammunition" to defend my position.

I am taking this opportunity to ask for your collaboration, with our entries and mostly with our "National Page", which I believe is locked or protected, and thus you have to get into the 'bureaucracy' to get in and finally edit it. I just came here so you may have a better chance for doing it so. Assuming that you are Peruvians, have time and want to do it in the first place. Like this page there are other many entries about our country Perú which needs our help, if we don't do it, who will then?

Many entries needs help, I am starting to work in several languages, but in here, in English, we are kind of messy, except for your page of course; for instance read how is written and what they are saying about our history in our own page. I think it needs more work, if we compare it with others pages then we know is true. Well see your contribs. You will start to see mine as well. thanks and Good Luck!! and sorry for use some of this space. Hope I didn't intrude. Last time if I did it so " arriba, arriba hasta las estrellas... en Wikipedia?". UserUser: 2007

The Follow up:

• The Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo (Autonomous University of Santo Domingo) was founded in 1914, not in 1538. This university, in current Dominican Republic, expects to be a “primatial university of America” in spite of the fact that it holds, against every Latin American legislation of the time, a foundation illegally authorised by the Pope in 1538; it has been officially recognised by the monarchy just in 1747 like "Universidad de Santo Tomás de Aquino"; it has been prohibited by Royal Letter of 1758 the use of that false title insulting universities of Lima and Mexico. As if it were not enough, the Santo Tomás University was definitively extinguished in 1824, having no relationships with the current one (founded in 1914), because it is a new and different institution that seeks to recover for itself its colonial predecessor's history. The Universidad de San Marcos (San Marcos University) of Lima was also, and continue being, the oldest university in the world out of the European continent, founded on 12th May 1551, and for this reason it takes the deserved title of “dean of America” (the oldest, not necessarily the first), since it is the only university that survives, uninterruptedly, since the XVIth century. (Miguel Angel del Castillo M., 29-VIII-07)
  • http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anexo:Lista_de_universidades_y_similares_en_Am%C3%A9rica_latina%2C_anteriores_a_1810
  • http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discusi%C3%B3n:Universidad_Nacional_Mayor_de_San_Marcos

Our Scientific knowledge is Semantic but also is Vedic in Nature

The Semantic Browser Based on Wikipedia

Powerset Demo Video from officialpowerset on Vimeo.

The Machine is US

The Easy Way to Learn How to Code & Design Web sites

Understanding Harmony

Cross Cutural Analysis - The Law and The Reality - Perspective of a Congresist from Peru

The " Contamanina" : The Ecology of the Peruvian Music

Filling Your Car's tank with 1.10 a Galon

The SCRUM of the SCRUMS

Pain in Oils and Oils in Canvas

If you believe in forgiveness, if you believe in something greater than you. Remember nobody is perfect, we are all in here, perhaps we believe that the color of our skin is important or that our culture is superior, with this we go imposing things on people. Let me tell you... time will show you otherwise.


Van Gogh and Gauguin understood what art is really about, and Picasso and Dalí et al., successfully learned how to exploit it well. I still admire all of them, though.

However, I admire Van Gogh the most because he painted in faith, with faith and for faith, after his experiences with those "ministries" for poverty.

Paul Gauguin, on the other hand, was able to leave behind him the European-centric vision and understood and painted other "skins" under beautiful inquiries. Martinique was and inspiration for him, and he put everything behind, i.e., money, power, politics and family, notwithstanding, he still is who he is... Pain, and suffering seem to be inevitable ... can you share it without imposing it?

I will come back to this comments, in the mean time I will play with a simpleton yo-yo.

Be connected, Live connected. Life is connections.

Well as I have been informed lately,a lot of people has concentrated in this image since I have posted in one social sharing sites, then, I need to explain one thing. I created it long time ago. thinking on how our lives has changed because the Internet.
Now, from my point of view, life is all connected. But the guy in the image is obviously isolated.

I don't think anyone wants to be connected in real life with him. It has become an "it". Therefore, the "it" goes over the web 2.0 and X.0s social spaces just to be reconnected somehow with people. His social life has all gone. Do you really want to connect with it? I don't think so.

Therefore, the real friends, those who you have grown and you are growing up with, those are your real connections keep them close to you. Help them grow, but not at your expense of course, and yes be an individual with perhaps few connections but all of them meaningful and healthy in your life. In the future you will find out who was a genuine friend and what is real friendship.

Therefore, having a web presence is important but not as much as enjoying the simple things and challenges that a normal life has to offer. Like drink a milkshake or just watch a sunset, it is never the same... every sunset is unique as everyone in this planet is.

Well, that is my interpretation though, you can make up your own.

Obamatomy

A Deviant Recipe for Artists or How to boost your Creativity

I need to keep redoing this at all the time, Should I share it with you?:‼☺☻☺‼

SCAMPER Some Deviant Behaviors

☼ Substitute ♪
☼ Combine ♪♫
♪ Adapt ☼►◙♪♫
↕ Modify ► magnify ◄ minify☺
☻ Put to other uses ♥♣♦○
◘ Elaborate
¶ Rearrange ♀ reverse ◄ ªa ► rethink

PLUS

"Relearn again and forget, then go back to your child vision" Avoid part or all on this formula ► {POV²+POM+POB}:


Looking throughout single points of View or using one single Color of Glasses, one size telescopes, 1x microscopes, one sided spectroscopy, forgetting to use your natural X Ray vision and your CAT Scanner::meaning your imagination, instincts and guts

√ POV = Avoid Singular Persistence of Vision or partial ½╟╜ visions.
√ POV = Avoid Singular Point of View ► Fanaticism

POM = Persistence of Memory (ies) ► Live in the present using the past for the future

Avoid Persistence and obsessive behaviors of unkindness, cruelty, cynicism, ill-intentioned or nonsense moods. Look for meaning or provide the context in which meaningful things could be developed, either by you or with/by others.

Avoid envious feelings, it will drain you, drive you crazy and it will "dry" or "Fry" most of your dreams, aspirations and goals. Remain human and follow your inner nature, this nature should be positive and constructive , but otherwise then you know what you have to do with it...

Do not avoid to be alone, but by all means enjoy the company of your fellow artists, those who where behind you, those who are coexisting with you, and those who are becoming or will come after you. Live the tree tenses or times, Past, Present and Future and the many complex variations thereof.

Moreover, everything that you do or say onto others is a boomerang, it will come back to you, but for this do not avoid conflict, slavery is the rewards of those that do just this. If the prison were made out of gold, it is still a prison, artists hate prisons, oppression or injustice, because to be free you need to remain ethical and well balance (there are many flavors of what is balance or what it means, it could be harmony, think in here on your own music and how it sounds when you play it for others. It is for the most part a maturity and evolving process within each life cycle at every effort, project or piece of work that you do or want to do::Therefore, envision the circumstance, it might be bigger than your perception, and much bigger than your imagination, then enhance your existence by acknowledging more of it).

However, for most of the artists freedom is their main source of inspiration, if they were prisoned because their ideals or art, then they would be evenly freer than before. Artist will remain independent not matter what. Art is intrinsically motivated and extrinsically activated, but you draw and paint the mere buttons that ignite your own fantasies and/or imaginations or disgrace and/or lamentations.

In conclusion, give and share and you will receive ...the same, perhaps it might be more or might be less, don't worry about receiving, just share, provide, support, empathize, contemplate, absorb, produce, mutate, do, even if you can't, do a little more, then enjoy it or better continue with another piece, perhaps you will find out that it is you what you are building from the scratch of your most deeper and inner self.

Finally, I hope that it is Creativity what you are about to select for your life and in every case anyway be one more element why our society triumphs; as it is known by now already as the most innovative society in all generations:: the artists society.

As for my humble case I just keep remembering the aforementioned thoughts...

Jimi Hendrix: The Eternal Experience from Last Century

All along the WatchTower
There are many versions out there: I Like to watch this two

In Black and White:


The talent of the 60s

In Color;



..and Another Performance



One of the earliest Video on Hendrix



1967-02-25



Last century music that still echoes our future:

The Metasemantic Web - Part 1- The Mere Particles of Meaning: The Application of Morphogenesis into Project and Product Management

What I want to understand is up to what extent the most effective human collaboration could be obtained or increased by applying simple rules of behavior molded within virtual worlds under one predetermined goal or set of goals. Such as learning and its immediate application to action or for solving pervasive problems or mastering a subject or art.

The word should be Metabehavior, perhaps because I am interested on the behaviors that mold or determined other desire behaviors, all this includes seen people both, as part of the instrumentation for building metasemantic systems, and as recipients of it as well. Therefore it begins with the humans and loops back to them as well. In other words, the developers become users whereas some users could become developers too.

Only that the goal or the project could be extrinsically or spontaneously sponsored to group and systematized human minds, as connecting the dots, such as each dot is a mind that could decided whether or not to be grouped under certain endeavors. This is being done by perusing any collaborative systems of the Web 2.0 type and greater, such as those wikis for example, these are not other than a set of linked behaviors associated, organized and systematized by human intelligence or cultural bias [or mostly by a combination of both adding some emotional stupidity or nonsense] under one most often, or originally, altruistic and compelling reason.

It is like the "wikiconomization", or the "wikibalization" of the self, only that is not only the prefix wiki in all of the "flora" or phenomena, it is a matter of fact a wiki is just a rustic and small possibility of it, Youtube is another possibility for example as they are many of the sorts and They are others constantly appearing all over the cyberscape.

The fruits of such still-Human-Cognitive-Emotional-behavioral-semantic fields & the knowledge and information management systems are becoming to show [us] their wonders and now more and more this collaborative tools are often use by corporations as for individuals [for very different reason though], such are the Mash-ups and et al.,

What I believe is happening is that humans are in the process of creating the metasemantic web instead, the many consciousnesses of the entire human experience so far. Well, some people are trying to include one sided view of the schema, and here politics came into place, I will leave it as that at this point.

The Flat world 3.0 of Friedman can be greener as he wishes to be, but it involves communities made out of individuals, many individuals that are joined now by a simple set of rules throughout and whereby they can achieve their desired goals, and satisfy their needs for freedom, self-expression and self-concept, some individuals participate for constructive reasons and still others for destructive or for no other reason than their "magnetized" behavior towards something greater than them, just to belong to something, or to find the meaning for their empty lives by following a sympathetic determined swarmed website.

It is the interconnectivity of the Web and the software-as-a-Services [SaaS] that is causing these individuals to interact and create their avatars, their existential sense, as more products, services and fortunately some solutions are being found some of those virtual communities .... also they are serving as a way to share and challenge cultural differences.

These services are giving power to people for achieving something [apparently useful to them] and in this context these services are seemed like a memesis or as the mere particles of meaning, these SaaS are molding behaviors and could instantiate not only information but also surprisingly meaningful relationships... It seems that endless possibilities can be found out there...

In the mean time let us examine our lives too, perhaps we could find as Pygmalion or like Narcissus did, that ours is evenly more illusive than theirs ... all the way while we are thinking that we are doing "no evil". I will continue seeking and investigating... Too much to be learned over this regard

Now let's watch this video:




It will continue...

Tribute to the creator of the Chicken Dance will never pass away

Let us Dance in the honor in Bob Kames:

The Last Lecture - Knowing how to die

In case you didn't watch it here.

The Faces of Art

This video has some of the most beautiful paintings ever painted.