Reflecting on the year 2008
Reflection on the year 2008, checking progress of the goals, and some numbers.
Journal
2008
92 posts
Merry Christmas
Christmas has become central to how I view the world. Jesus was born to bring salvation to all.
Christianity
Masters of Chant by Gregorian
Gregorian's 1999 album of pop and rock songs sung as chant, a curious record I stumbled on much later.
Music
Not Ashamed by Newsboys
Newsboys' 1992 album catches the band early, a bright, cheeky pop rock record about plain, open faith.
Music
WALL·E
WALL·E (2008), directed by Andrew Stanton, follows a small robot left on Earth. Ben Burtt voices WALL·E with beeps and charm. He stacks trash and collects odd things. Elissa Knight acts as EVE, the sleek probe who drops from space.
Movies
Monthly update #0223 • November 2008
Monthly update 223 • November 2008 • 2008-11-01 - 2008-11-30
Monthly Updates
The Cassandra Compact by Robert Ludlum
In Robert Ludlum’s The Cassandra Compact, co-authored with Philip Shelby, Covert-One agent Jon Smith pursues a stolen smallpox sample from Russia.
Books
Privacy Roundup #0028 • November 2008
November 2008 was dominated by British data losses and the slow-motion reckoning over BT's secret Phorm wiretaps, as leaked lists and lost memory sticks laid bare how casually personal data was handled.
Privacy
What is hdiejectd?
If you see hdiejectd running on your Mac, here is what this disk image ejection process does.
Mac
Nothing to Lose by Lee Child
Nothing to Lose strands Reacher between the Colorado towns of Hope and Despair, where he uncovers a military scrap conspiracy tied to disappearances.
Books
What is NetworkSharing?
If you see NetworkSharing running on your Mac, here is what this internet sharing process does.
Mac
No Comebacks by Frederick Forsyth
In Frederick Forsyth’s No Comebacks, a collection of ten short stories, the master of suspense takes you on a thrilling ride through a world of crime, deception, and unexpected twists.
Books
And Winter Came... by Enya
Enya's 2008 album draws on winter and Christmas, a calm, layered record of snow, light and quiet wonder.
Music
What is opendirectoryd?
If you see opendirectoryd running on your Mac, here is what this directory services process does.
Mac
The Prometheus Deception by Robert Ludlum
In Robert Ludlum’s The Prometheus Deception, retired Directorate agent Nick Bryson learns his covert career was a lie, manipulated by a rogue agency.
Books
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008), directed by Eric Darnell and Tom McGrath, follows the zoo animals as they leave Madagascar and crash land on the African mainland. Ben Stiller voices Alex the lion, who finds the pride he was taken from as a cub.
Movies
Privacy Roundup #0027 • October 2008
October 2008 was dominated by the BT Phorm deep packet inspection row, fresh government data losses, and revelations that the NSA had listened to the private calls of innocent Americans.
Privacy
What is ReportCrash?
If you see ReportCrash running on your Mac, here is what this crash reporting process does.
Mac
What is security.authhost?
If you see security.authhost on your Mac, here is what this password prompt process does.
Mac
Monthly update #0222 • October 2008
Monthly update 222 • October 2008 • 2008-10-01 - 2008-10-31
Monthly Updates
The Man from Washington by Laurent Gerra
With a presidential election looming, Lucky Luke must guard the upright candidate Rutherford B. Hayes on a tour of the West while a scheming Texas oil tycoon tries to buy or shoot his way to victory.
Books
All That You Can't Leave Behind by U2
U2's warm 2000 return to song and heart, an album I revisited and found wiser than I remembered.
Music
The Hades Factor by Robert Ludlum
In Robert Ludlum’s The Hades Factor, a gripping medical thriller co-authored with Gayle Lynds, a deadly virus threatens global catastrophe.
Books
Monthly update #0221 • September 2008
Monthly update 221 • September 2008 • 2008-09-01 - 2008-09-30
Monthly Updates
Privacy Roundup #0026 • September 2008
Phorm and its secret BT trials dominated September 2008, alongside fresh government data losses, NSA litigation and a flurry of Google privacy rows.
Privacy