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Author: Jay Shergill

Workers' Compensation Defense Attorney. Certified Specialist Workers Compensation Law. California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization. Partner at Purinton, Jimenez, Labo & Wu, LLP
Sep
17
2008
AJAX, PDRater, Technobabble

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The Internets
The Internets

I’m not exactly a neutral party when it comes to “web apps” (short for “web application”) versus their downloadable-installable cousins.  This website, its articles, and blog posts are basically just packaging for my own suite of free web apps, workers’ compensation calculators.

For the purposes of this post, I’m restricting the definition of “web app” to those programming applications which run from inside an internet web browser and require an internet connection to operate.  I’m excluding those hybrid web apps that require plugins to be installed (think flash or adobe multimedia banner ads).  While web apps have inherent…

Weaknesses

  1. Web browser. Some require a particular type or version of a web browser.
  2. Internet Connection. They won’t work without one.  If you lose your internet connection, you’ve just become isolated from your information and the program.
  3. Form. Sometimes the program will look different depending upon the type or version of web browser.
  4. Function. Sometimes the program will act slightly differently depending upon the type or version of web browser.

… there are also undeniable…

Consumer Benefits

  1. Portability. Web apps allow you to access your information from the internet.
  2. Independence. Web apps allow you to access your information from any computer.
  3. User Friendly. Nothing to download, install, or maintain.
  4. Seamless. These days web apps use AJAX so that your computer doesn’t need to reload the page to show you new information.  The result are web based programs that look and act as if the program was installed on your computer.
  5. Braindead Backups. Since all information is stored on the web app server, a browser crash doesn’t have to mean the end of the world.  No need to do anything.
  6. Updates. You immediately benefit from web app server program updates without needing to do anything.
  7. Compatibility. Most web apps can’t interfere with other programs on your computer.
  8. IT Security. With nothing to install, your IT professionals don’t need to worry about what you’ve got installed on your computer.
Sep
16
2008
Author, Business, Conference, PDRater, Workers Compensation Resources

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Road Warrior Backpack
Road Warrior Backpack

In earlier posts I gave my “road warrior checklist for the car” and my “road warrior checklist for the techie.”

My backpack is my lifeline when I’m out and about.  Some prefer a laptop case, rolling briefcase/suitcase, suitcase, or purse.  I find that a backpack with a laptop section works best for me.  I can carry a medium file, laptop, and the essentials.

Here’s my road warrior checklist for my backpack:

  • Front flap
    • Notepad
    • Pens
      • 2 blue gel, 1 black pen, 1 red gel pen, 1 permanent ink marker, 1 highlighter
    • Business cards, business card case
    • Eyeglass cloth
  • Front pocket
    • Medication – allergy pills, etc.
    • Granola bar
    • Sticky notes
    • Portable phone charger
    • Breath mints
    • Batteries
  • Side pocket
    • Napkins
  • Main pocket
    • Laptop

What do you take with you?

Sep
15
2008
Author, Business, Technobabble

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Nerdy Road Warrior
Nerdy Road Warrior

In an earlier post I gave my “my road warrior checklist for the car.”  Within the last year I occasionally worked as computer tech support and/or mobile techie.

Sometimes I was on location fixing a problem, writing a database program, or doing a small bit of programming on a friend’s larger program.  I enjoyed being a techie, but wouldn’t want to do it for a living.

When I’m a road warrior techie, here’s what I carry with me:

  • Laptop backpack
  • Laptop, extra battery, power cord
  • Portable hard drive, 120 GB (Actually a laptop hard drive in an enclosure)
  • Flash drives (4G, 128meg)
  • CDRW – rewriteable CD’s
  • DVD-RW – rewriteable DVD’s
  • USB hub, 3 ports
  • USB cable, A to B
  • USB cable, A to mini
  • Ethernet cable, 6′
  • Phone cord, 6′

If I had to keep a techi backpack stocked, here’s what else I’d put in it:

  • Zip ties, twist ties, and/or velcro ties
  • Labels
  • Small screwdriver set

What do you take with you?

Update: A (techie) friend suggested the following additions, trunk space permitting:

  • Ethernet cable, wire crimpers
  • Ethernet hub
  • Installation CD’s
Sep
12
2008
Calculators, Free, Open Source, PDRater, Technobabble, Workers Compensation Resources

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Google Chrome
Google Chrome

Google jumped head fist into the browser war last week.

The big players at the moment are Internet Explorer, Firefox/Mozilla, Opera, and Safari (Mac).  From Google’s information about Chrome, it looks like it was designed based on Apple’s popular Webkit and Mozilla’s very popular Firefox.  An added benefit is that this new browser is open source.  Google’s online comic about Chrome and their new vision of how a web browser should look and behave is actually fairly interesting.

The other bit of good news is that I’ve downloaded and installed the beta version of Google’s Chrome in order to see whether it is compatible with this website and its web apps.

Good news!  Chrome works flawlessly with my workers’ compensation calculators!  So, feel free to use your choice of web broswer to calculate permanent disability percentages, temporary disability rates, life pension rates, and nearly every other kind of benefit available under California workers’ compensation law.

Sep
11
2008
Not Workers Compensation, PDRater, Technobabble

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Spitzer - The Morning After
Spitzer - The Morning After

Okay, I’ve got good news and bad news.

Good news: The CERN LHC was fired up yesterday and the world didn’t end!

Bad news: If you followed any of my suggestions from the past few days, you might need some pointers on what to do now.1

  1. Give up smoking and drugs.
  2. You’ll need a new will and gym membership.
  3. You kept receipts, right?
  4. You’ll probably need to go back to renting an apartment.
  5. Work on your resume.  There’s no way your boss is taking you back.
  6. Get a good lawyer to deal with the DUI, solicitation, and federal wildlife protection charges.
  7. Face facts, you’re probably uninsurable now.
  8. Two words: credit counseling.
  9. Consider switching to a religion that offers absolution or papal indulgences.
  10. STD tests for everyone!

Something most of those CERN / LHC lawsuits forgot to mention is that even though the Large Hadron Collider was fired up yesterday, it won’t warm up to smash things together for a few weeks.  So, we’re not totally out of the woods yet…

(Too bleak for a Thursday?)

  1. End of the World Survival Guide, The End of the World: A To Do List. [↩]
Sep
11
2008
Free, Open Source, PDRater, Technobabble, Website Updates

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Wordpress Upgrade
Wordpress Upgrade

Last night I upgraded from WordPress v2.6.1 to WordPress v2.6.2.  You’ve heard me extoll the virtues of WordPress.  Free, open source, easy to modify and customize, highly secure and… updated (infuriatingly) often.

If you see any weirdness, please let me know so I can take a look at the issue.

Sep
10
2008
Not Workers Compensation, Technobabble

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or… What Would Ferris Bueller Do?

Did the apocalypse take you by surprise?  Not to worry!  Once you’re done with the obligatory crying, rending of hair, and gnashing of teeth, I’ve got a handy-dandy itinerary. You may want to print this one out and keep it on you for the rest of the day.

Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.                                     – Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

Strap in.  Its going to be a busy day.

  1. Get up and drink as much coffee as you can tolerate.  If you didn’t do everything on the list from yesterday, try to take care of some of that stuff now.  Put on your costume (you did buy the costume yesterday, right?) and let’s get started.

    Pimp Hat
    Pimp Hat
  2. Call everyone you know – party at your house!

    Party House
    Party House
  3. Rent a Lamborgini or Ferarri.  Don’t spring for the extra insurance scam.  No matter what happens today, you’re not returning it in one piece.

    Lamborghini
    Lamborghini
  4. Drive in the carpool lane.  Top down, no seatbelt.  Why not have a drink?

    Beer Hat
    Beer Hat
  5. Try something totally new.  Color your hair, get a tattoo, a piercing.  Remember: There is no such thing as politically incorrect any more.  How about a baby seal burger?

    Baby Seal Burger
    Baby Seal Burger
  6. Try something dangerous.  Bungie jump, skydive, or swim with the sharks.  Better yet, find a way to do all three at once – time’s a wastin’!

    Skydiving and Bungie Jumping with Sharks
    Skydiving and Bungie Jumping with Sharks
  7. Overpay and overtip EVERYWHERE you go.  Have fun passing out money like its going out of style!

    Money
    Money
  8. Attend party at your house.  This is where the caterers, fireworks, and champagne come in handy.

    Party House
    Party House
  9. Hookers for everyone!

    Happy Spitzer
    Happy Spitzer
  10. Last meal:  Whatever you want to eat and drink, but you might as well try fugu too.

    Fugu - Blowfish
    Fugu - Blowfish

I like to think that Ferris Bueller would have approved of this plan.

If, by some truly freak occurrence, the Earth doesn’t get swallowed up by a black hole and we’re not stuck in a time loop, check back in tomorrow morning for a list of things ways to deal with the consequences of living like there’s no tomorrow.

Sep
9
2008
Not Workers Compensation, Technobabble

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or…  The Apocalypse Can Be Fun!

Almost Midnight
Almost Midnight

Yesterday I mentioned how the CERN project is going to fire up its Large Hadron Collider on Wednesday September 10, 2008.  Several lawsuits have been filed (most in the US even though the project is located in Switzerland and France) to stop the machine from being turned on.  Here are some of the allegations:

  • It will create “strangelets” that will convert all other matter in the universe into “strangelets.”
  • It will create a black hole that will swallow up the Earth.

And, my PERSONAL favorite:

  • It will create a hole in space where where time becomes stuck in an infinite loop.

However infinitesimal, you have to admit the possibility that one of the above will happen.  Here’s a list of things you can do today to prepare for the world (maybe) ending tomorrow:

  1. Save your breath and don’t work out today.
  2. Eat fatty greasy salty food.  Garlic, onions, beans – go nuts!
  3. Take up smoking, drinking, and a drug of your choice.
  4. Tell your boss what you really think about them.1
  5. Leave work early today and don’t show up ever again!  (Or, kill two birds with one stone and do this at the same time as #4).
  6. Shred your will and cancel all insurance policies.
  7. Credit is your friend.  Apply for every line of credit you can.  Call your credit card company and see if you can raise your credit limits.
  8. Things to buy: an air horn, fireworks, a megaphone, a costume (favorite super hero, movie star, pirate, etc), a lot of champagne, and a beer hat.
  9. Book a caterer for tomorrow.  Sure, its last minute, but money is no object, right?
  10. Call your mom – she worries.

Be prepared to stay up late tonight and get up early tomorrow.  You’re not going to want to waste any daylight.  The next blog post will be at 5am. Set your alarm and check back here bright and early for your itinerary.

Get ready to party like its 1999.

  1. Steve, buddy, you gotta work on your golf game. [↩]
Sep
8
2008
Not Workers Compensation, Technobabble

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End of the World
End of the World

Hey, we’ve had a good run.  The world has to end some day and I guess September 10, 2008 is as good as any.

Long story short, the European Organization for Nuclear Research aka CERN is going to fire up its brand spanking new 4 billion dollar 27 kilometers long “Large Hadron Collider”.1  Although the internet was created by DARPA, CERN created the world wide web.  There have been a flurry of high profile lawsuits to stop this machine from being turned on – because these people believe it will cause the end of the world.

The device is supposed to smash two protons together to see what pops out.  They believe it will create new little bits of matter and anti-matter and give them a glimpse into what the big bang looked like. The good folks at CERN sponsored a rap video to explain how it all works:

Check in tomorrow at 6am for some suggestions on how to spend your last day.

[50th blog post!  Yay!]

  1. CERN from Centre Européenne pour la Recherche Nucléaire.  Its a French thing. [↩]