Christopher Lawson's Blog, page 4

Movie Nights with the Reagans: A Memoir by Mark Weinberg

The lights dim and the projector starts. The audience hushes.  Later, after the movie is over, a small group gathers around the fireplace to trade stories, and chat about the film.

Yep--It’s just another night at Camp David’s “Aspen Lodge.” Nothing special—just munching on popcorn while watching movies with the Leader of the Free World. 
 
In MOVIE NIGHTS WITH THE REAGANS, Mark Weinberg describes a dream come true. This twenty-three-year-old White House press aide was invited to stay with the president at Camp David for the weekends.  Of course, that meant watching movies with the Gang.
 
Each chapter in the book recounts the events at one movie night. My favorite chapter in the book is, “Knute Rockne All American,” which the author describes as, “The Film That Created a Political Legend.”  Of course, this was the film that earned Reagan “the Gipper” nickname. The author recalls what came after the screening: 

“We had to shout over each other to ask questions. The president was more than happy to indulge us. He would tell the story of how he wanted the part and almost didn’t get it, of how much he liked playing football, and how honored he felt to work with Pat O’Brien.” 

Then, someone asked Reagan about his most famous line from the film.  Of course, Reagan remembered it perfectly and proceeded to recite the speech about winning “just one for the Gipper.”

Ronnie, please pass the popcorn

Besides the actual movies, one funny part of the book recounts the time a visitor mentioned to Reagan that she “never cared for him as an actor, but “I think you are a great president.”  Well, that slight about Reagan's acting ability bothered the president. Later, he wondered which movies the woman had seen that left her with a negative impression of his acting ability.

So all in all, I found MOVIE NIGHTS WITH THE REAGANS a fun read—but also a bittersweet read. I especially liked the chapters on the movies in which Reagan himself starred.  I found the information about the contemporary world events not as interesting as the movie night experiences.

I can only imagine what it must have been like watching movies with Ronald Reagan and his inner circle. I appreciate the author’s fondness for the Reagans: 

“Let me be clear at the outset: I am a proudly biased fan of President and Mrs. Reagan.” 

Easy to see why.

Cybersecurity: Introduction to Oracle Transparent Data Encryption (TDE)

Using Tablespace Encryption























Introduction

Since Oracle database release 11g, Oracle provides for data encryption at the tablespace level. This feature allows the entire tablespace data to be encrypted, including all tables and indexes.

Table encryption is a good alternative compared to TDE column encryption. Keep in mind that this feature does not encrypt data that is outside of the tablespace.

A big advantage of TDE is that only an authorized user can view or modify the data.

Implementation

To enable TDE tablespace encryption, the Oracle database version must be 11g release 1 or higher. Here are the high level steps to configure:

Create Oracle Wallet and set a master TDE key.Create an encrypted tablespace using clause, "encryption default storage(encrypt)”.Create tables, specifying the TDE tablespace. Oracle Wallet should be opened to query the table inside the encrypted tablespace.

You can view the newly created tablespace by joining the v$tablespace and v$encrypted_tablespace views. 

Building the Oracle Wallet

Create a physical directory on the database server to contain the wallet.  Then, modify file sqlnet.ora to specify the location of the wallet. Use the parameter, ENCRYPTION_WALLET_LOCATION to specify the Wallet location. For example:

ENCRYPTION_WALLET_LOCATION=
  (SOURCE=
   (METHOD=FILE)
    (METHOD_DATA=
     (DIRECTORY=/etc/oracle/wallet)))
 

Create the Master key inside the Oracle Wallet. Connect as sysdba to the database, then execute:
     ALTER SYSTEM SET ENCRYPTION KEY ["certificate_ID"] IDENTIFIED BY "password"

The above command creates the wallet along with the password. This also establishes the master key, which is mandatory for tablespace encryption.

Encryption Algorithm

The encryption algorithm can have one of the following values: 3DES168, AES128, AES192, AES256. For example:

CREATE TABLESPACE securespace
DATAFILE '/home/user/oradata/secure01.dbf'
SIZE 150M
ENCRYPTION USING '3DES168'
DEFAULT STORAGE(ENCRYPT);
 

Advantages

Transparent Data Encryption is a simple way to protect your Oracle data via bulk encryption. Using this method, all objects and data in the encrypted tablespace are automatically encrypted.

Perhaps best of all, no modification is required at the application level.

Cyber Security: Introduction to Oracle Transparent Data Encryption (TDE)

Using Tablespace Encryption























Introduction

Since Oracle database release 11g, Oracle provides for data encryption at the tablespace level. This feature allows the entire tablespace data to be encrypted, including all tables and indexes.

Table encryption is a good alternative compared to TDE column encryption. Keep in mind that this feature does not encrypt data that is outside of the tablespace.

A big advantage of TDE is that only an authorized user can view or modify the data.

Implementation

To enable TDE tablespace encryption, the Oracle database version must be 11g release 1 or higher. Here are the high level steps to configure:

Create Oracle Wallet and set a master TDE key.Create an encrypted tablespace using clause, "encryption default storage(encrypt)”.Create tables, specifying the TDE tablespace. Oracle Wallet should be opened to query the table inside the encrypted tablespace.

You can view the newly created tablespace by joining the v$tablespace and v$encrypted_tablespace views. 

Building the Oracle Wallet

Create a physical directory on the database server to contain the wallet.  Then, modify file sqlnet.ora to specify the location of the wallet. Use the parameter, ENCRYPTION_WALLET_LOCATION to specify the Wallet location. For example:

ENCRYPTION_WALLET_LOCATION=
  (SOURCE=
   (METHOD=FILE)
    (METHOD_DATA=
     (DIRECTORY=/etc/oracle/wallet)))
 

Create the Master key inside the Oracle Wallet. Connect as sysdba to the database, then execute:
     ALTER SYSTEM SET ENCRYPTION KEY ["certificate_ID"] IDENTIFIED BY "password"

The above command creates the wallet along with the password. This also establishes the master key, which is mandatory for tablespace encryption.

Encryption Algorithm

The encryption algorithm can have one of the following values: 3DES168, AES128, AES192, AES256. For example:

CREATE TABLESPACE securespace
DATAFILE '/home/user/oradata/secure01.dbf'
SIZE 150M
ENCRYPTION USING '3DES168'
DEFAULT STORAGE(ENCRYPT);
 

Advantages

Transparent Data Encryption is a simple way to protect your Oracle data via bulk encryption. Using this method, all objects and data in the encrypted tablespace are automatically encrypted.

Perhaps best of all, no modification is required at the application level.

Cyber Security: Introduction to Oracle Encrypted Tablespace

Note: This is Part I in the Cyber Security series, by Vishal Khare.























Introduction

Since Oracle database release 11g, Oracle provides data encryption at the tablespace level. This feature allows the entire tablespace data to be encrypted, including all tables and indexes.

Table encryption is a good alternative compared to TDE column encryption. Keep in mind that this feature does not encrypt data that is outside of the tablespace.

A big advantage is that only an authorized user can have access to view or modify the data. There is no visibility to the individual application user, whether data in the tablespace is encrypted.

Implementation

To enable TDE tablespace encryption, the Oracle database version must be 11g release 1 or higher. Here are the high level steps to configure:

Create Oracle Wallet and set a master TDE key.Create an encrypted tablespace using clause, "encryption default storage(encrypt)”.Create tables, specifying the TDE tablespace. Oracle Wallet should be opened to query the table inside the encrypted tablespace.

You can view the newly created tablespace by joining the v$tablespace and v$encrypted_tablespace views. 

AdvantagesThis provides bulk encryption; there is no need for column based encryption.All objects/data in TDE tablespace are automatically encrypted.No modification is required at the application level.

Endure: Mind, Muscle, and the Extraordinary Science of Human Performance by Alex Hutchinson

In ENDURE, sports journalist Alex Hutchinson explores the latest theories and experiments designed to breakthrough endurance limits. The big question is, Why do we stop? And, Is there any way to go past the stop?

One view of limitation is the "human machine" view, where our fuel tank is simply empty. Another view is the "All in your head€ notion," where you stop by choice, rather than physical limitation. The author explains that answers to these questions "aren't as obvious as I thought."

In an effort to manipulate the brain, some researchers try things such as, "trickling a small electric current through the brain's motor cortex."

These experiments have had mixed results. For example, in the "Zapping the Brain"€ chapter, we learn how Red Bull tested brain stimulation using elite cyclists. Alas, the experiment didn't pan out as the winner was the one who received the placebo, or sham stimulation.

Think positive

Perhaps the funniest section is the author's "headphone experiment." Alex was attracted to a simple idea: Unlock your body's hidden reserves by "running a few electrons through a carefully selected part of your brain." Well, the results were unsatisfactory, both in effect as well as comfort:

"I had to press the headphones so hard that I would get deep divots across the top of my head."€

The author notes that the experiments have not achieved a surefire way to pump-up your endurance in some mechanistic way:

"Translating lab research into a real-world competitive context remains a formidable barrier."

In contrast to the high-tech electrodes, some of the low tech approaches yield surprisingly good results. Self-affirmation talks are one example.

No electrodes.

So all in all, I found ENDURE to be a fun, albeit a complicated read. There are tons of anecdotes and stories, with the research intermingled. After all his research, the author admits his best advice would be to "€œpursue motivational self-talk training."

I guess that means no more of those headphone/electrodes?

The Great Good Thing: A Secular Jew Comes to Faith in Christ by Andrew Klavan

THE GREAT GOOD THING is both an autobiography, as well as a Spiritual journey. We hear the lamentable story of how the author, as a young boy, become so immersed in daydreaming that he actually began to lose connection with reality.  His dreams became his entire life, as he obsessed with wild fantasies and adventures.  Schoolwork was simply not done.  In teen age years, he was able to fake and con his way through classes, making up bizarre tales to satisfy his teachers.

The author's conversion takes place at the very end of the book. I wish I could have witnessed his baptism.  What a moment!

Perhaps best of all, I appreciate the author's obsession with writing clear, clean sentences. His expertise is apparent in this book. Andrew Klavan is a master at writing.  I look forward to reading all his works.

Stupid me for not finding this great writer until now.

 

 The Great Good Thing by Andrew Klavan

Subversive Sabbath: The Surprising Power of Rest in a Nonstop World by A.J. Swoboda

I confess, I find most theological books to be duller than dirt. I am delighted to report, however, that SUBVERSIVE SABBATH is the opposite. In fact, I found SUBVERSIVE SABBATH to be a delightful book—fun to read, inspiring, and practical.

Pastor and Professor A.J. Swoboda explains that Christians mistakenly think of the Sabbath as some drab requirement we must keep—and certainly not a day of fun. The author argues, however, that that view is not at all what the Scriptures teach. The Bible teaches that the Sabbath is above all, a GIFT to us--something to savor and anticipate. It's to be a day of rebuilding our body, mind and soul; it's to be a day of rejuvenation.

Yet, we are so busy, we can 't handle such a concept; we can't accept this gift without kicking and screaming:

“The Sabbath is a gift we do not know how to receive. In a world of doing, going, and producing, we have no use for a gift that invites us to stop.”   

There are practical consequences to not having a sabbath. We suffer in many ways, the most obvious being our health:

“The truth is, if we do not rest, we will not be well. We might be fine for a while. But over the course of time, our bodies, minds, and souls will pay a hefty price for ignoring gravity.”

A difficult part of keeping a Sabbath is turning off all our devices. We just can’t stand the idea of not being productive.  The Sabbath shows the way, and "dismantles the tyranny of multitasking.” The author shares his own Sabbath plan: To start, they turn off all their phones (except one for emergencies.)  Their Sabbath is not somber--it is a fun, positive day, with zero thought about work.

The whole idea of a Sabbath is to not even THINK about work. So, if you have a desk job, your Sabbath may involve outdoor activities, such as hiking (yea!) The point is to redirect our mind and activity away from our everyday tasks, and “Reconnect To Our Creator.”

So all in all I found SUBVERSIVE SABBATH to be a WONDERFUL book, full of practical wisdom on how to plan your own Sabbath. I found the Professor's ideas to be practical as well as Biblical.  I have a new perspective on the Sabbath after reading this book.  

I thought this one passage nicely summed up this book:

“The Sabbath is an interval in which we can admire beauty around us, to take it in and enjoy it, appreciating the work God has done in the land."

Subversive Sabbath: The Surprising Power of Rest in a Nonstop World by A.J. Swoboda

The Continuum by Wendy Nikel

THE CONTINUUM is just a flat-out fun book to read. Just when you think you've read all the time travel books, here's another one, which is truly creative. I was hooked immediately when I saw the "Rules for Time Travel" on page 1.

The story moves right along, without getting too bogged down in technical detail. I especially like the idea that you just carry around a powerful "Worm Hole" device. Just push the button, of course, and your time travel begins.

This book reminds me of those fun books I read as a kid--like the "Danny Dunn" books. I had never read anything from this author before. I am impressed. Fun story + engaging characters. I like it.

Stranger in a Strange World

The Continuum by Wendy Nikel

The Encore: A Memoir in Three Acts by Charity Tillemann-Dick

Not many people have reason to rejoice on hearing the news, "We have lungs, we have lungs!" In ENCORE, we hear about the remarkable, uplifting story of one young opera singer who got to hear that news TWICE.

I wept reading this book. All I could think was, "Thank you, God, for saving this young woman!" The author survived not just one double lung transplant--but TWO! Charity went through horrific operations, dodging death and disability each time. After the first transplant, the doctors had to put her in a coma for FIVE WEEKS. I cannot fathom what it would be like having to endure this.

One more lung transplant

Reading ENCORE, I learned a lot about lung disease along the way. It is neither a pleasant or pretty picture. Here's just one example: After the second transplant, the anti-rejection drugs compromise the immune system, making one susceptible to skin cancer. Charity recalls:

"My vulnerable porcelain complexion has already been invaded ty soon-to-be-visible clumps of spindle squamous cells. They'll breed at astonishing rates. . . "

This story is an inspiration to us all. Next time you feel sorry for yourself, or think that maybe life is too hard, think about THE ENCORE, and Charity Tillemann-Dick. Charity writes near the end:

"Ten years after I first embarked on my great medical saga, I no longer feel the stage fright I used to get before doctor's appointments. I no longer fear rejection."

Bravo, Bravo!

The Encore: A Memoir in Three Acts by  Charity Tillemann-Dick

The Stowaway: A Young Man’s Extraordinary Adventure to Antarctica by Laurie Gwen Shapiro

In THE STOWAWAY, author Laurie Gwen Shapiro tells the incredible story of determined stowaway Billy Gawronski, who actually made it all the way to Antarctica. Billy didn’t really have much of a plan--he would just appeal to the mercy of Commander Byrd, who reportedly, “liked stowaways.” 

For his first attempt, Billy swam to the ship “covered in river scum, hair hanging down his forehead like oily kelp.”  To his astonishment, Billy found that he was one of three stowaways! 

On his second attempt, Billy tried for a cargo ship, believing it would  be “less guarded than the flagship had been.” He was quickly discovered hiding in a paint locker.

Well, Billy was discovered hiding three separate times. Each time, he failed to even bring spare clothing: “You would think that the boy had learned from his previous stowaway attempt to bring more food or a change of dry clothes. Not the case.”

Not in Kansas anymore

In spite of his clumsy hiding attempts, Billy was actually given a lowly job as a “mess boy.” Commander Byrd later approved:  “A lad as persistent as you will always come out on top.”  Billy’s dream had come true, and he sailed away on the “Eleanor Bolling.”

Amazingly, Billy soon became famous, and newspapers shouted, “STOWAWAY FOUND IN HOLD!”  On his return from Antarctica, Billy gave a talk on New York’s WOR Radio, was feted at banquets, was given a silver medal, and was a guest at the White House!

Eventually, the fame wore off, and Billy had to get a job.  He became a ship captain in the Merchant Marines. After Pearl Harbor, Billy served on Liberty ships, and became a captain at age 32.  He continued working for many years in the Merchant Marines, as well as the US Military Sealift Command.

At the very end of the book, the author recounts her research efforts.  Trying to find Billy’s family, she called many families with the same last name. Finally, she reached an elderly woman in Maine. It turned out to be Billy’s widow: “The frail voice said, ‘That boy was my husband.’”  Billy had died years earlier, but his widow was eager to share his story.

Worth the journey

All in all, I found THE STOWAWAY to be a fascinating, fun read. History buffs will especially like the interesting tidbits about Byrd’s expeditions.  I thought the first stowaway attempt was the most interesting.

The Stowaway: A Young Man’s Extraordinary Adventure to Antarctica by Laurie Gwen Shapiro