Lots going on!! Part Deux!!

In an earlier blog post I quietly mentioned that I bought a new airplane.... Wooo Hooo!! Well, the one last thing I needed to complete was the BFR. It's a flight check that is required for private pilots every two years. Since I've been out of it a while, I was wondering how long it would take me to pick up things.

Well, I went up today for the first time in a long time.... it was GREAT!! The weather was almost perfect, perhaps a bit more hazy then I would have liked, but so be it. It was cloudy, but thats actually kind of nice because you don't have the sun getting in your eyes. The ceiling was very high (about 6500 feet or so) so we had lots of room for airwork.

I did several landings (and was quite proud of them!) and the normal airwork, stalls, steep turns, slow flight, etc.... Even did a 14 knot crosswind landing (at one time I was a crosswind landing expert, having learned to fly in Oklahoma, crosswind capital of the world!).

I am going to go flying tomorrow one more time..... work on X-Country stuff and the like, and then there is an Oral that we will need to do Thursday. Once thats all done, this kid is legal again!

It was great to see the plane down in Florida last weekend, and I'm excited to go pick it up and fly her home. Thats going to happen sometime next month.... more on that when it happens. Also, look for a final decision on comments soon....

Hope you all have a great day!

Lots going on!! Part One 10gR2!!

Wow.... it's just busy busy.... so much fun stuff going on...

First of all 10gR2 has finally been released! In future blog entries I intend on introducing you to some of these new features so keep an eye out. I plan on installing 10gR2 tomorrow, so my first report will be on the install of the database product itself. We will see how it goes!! Wooo Hooo!! If you have Linux RH 3 you can install it too! otn.oracle.com is the place to go!

The first very cool new feature I plan on covering is DML Error Logging. Oracle has added the Error Logging Clause to speed up bulk data loading using Oracle DML statements (Insert, Update, Merge and Delete). When you use the Error Logging Clause, Oracle will record any row level errors related to the DML statement in an error table, rather than failing the entire statement. You can then review the errors listed in the error table after the load, to determine which rows failed loading. Once you have determined which rows failed, and the cause of the failure, you can load just those rows rather than having to reload the entire data set. This makes the data load process potentially much easier and makes errors less time consuming. Look for examples and so on very shortly!

Again, comments to robertgfreeman@yahoo.com....

Robert

Stupid stupid airports!!

What is wrong with airports? Are they just totally clueless. Now, you might think that I'm going to talk about some TSA debacle or somebody at the airline counter that just totally didn't have a clue. Not so. It's all about electricity!!

I've lost count of how many airports that I've been to with my laptop. Almost without exception it's a race to find a power outlet, if one is to be had. They wire the airport for wireless anywhere (I'm at an airport now on wireless), but are there any power outlets, noooooo. If there are, some other savy laptop traveler has found it and is using it to watch a DVD or play solitaire (they don't even have the decency to play a good game!)

So, my new charge to airports is, GET SOME POWER DUDES!!

On another note.... I feel so badly that I can't take comments right now. There has been some talk about liability issues and blogs and it just seems so risky. Feel free to shoot me any comments to robertgfreeman@yahoo.com if you have any thoughts about this or any other blog post I leave!

Removal of comments...

Pending a review with my lawyer on current libel law, I have removed the ability to post comments at all from this Blog. If after a careful review, he feels that comments can be made here without any type of libel risk to myself, then I will re-enable comments. I will update the blog once I have further information.

It's a shame that I have to do this, but the risk seems to great to do otherwise. In fact, pending the review, I may just shelve this blog all together.

I love it...

OK, a break from Oracle and political talk....

I got this link and looked at it. I love this video.... it gives such hope to us older men who wish we could dance....

http://boss.streamos.com/wmedia/astralwerks/fatboy/weapon_of_choice_300.asx

I have to admit that I sat and watched it three or four times, I was somehow mezmorized by it. Don't know why (I'm weird that way sometimes). Anyway, I like the tune too, so it's all good.

Jammin!

Have a great 4th everyone.....!!!

America Rules! :-D

He's served his country.... One solders thoughts...

While traveling in Oregon I met a young man while sitting at the pool with my family. He was up here, fishing with his father. As it turns out, he is 5.5 years into his 6 year commitment with the US Air Force. We had a long talk about Iraq and Afghanistan and the overall terror issues. I want to share some things he said to me:

1. He hates war. He said that anyone who likes war is crazy. I agree with him.

2. He says that he is not convinced that there are not WMD's in Iraq still. He says that they are constantly finding buried stuff. He says you would be amazed at what they buried, including airplanes.... He's also pretty sure that a lot of stuff got out of the country and moved it to places like Iran and Syria.

3. He feels like we might have been able to do a bit more negotiation before we went into Iraq, he feels like Afghanistan was done just right though. However, he also stated (as I have earlier in this blog) that there is clear moral justification for this war. He thinks everyone should see the pictures of the many people killed by Sadam. I have a link to such pictures earlier in this blog. If you think this is not a moral war, go look at them.

4. He is totally disgusted with the press. He states that the press has clearly not done a fair job reporting this war. He says that they do not show the good things that have happened, they have not shown the positive results of this war. He feels like the press have made this war worse, because they have kept the military from doing things (life effectively sweeping cities) that really needed to be done. Thus, the insurgency remains strong. I agree with him, the press is not doing our country any favors.

5. He feels like the Iraqi people will get sick of the insurgents, and when they do and they start standing up for themselves and policing their own people. It is then when things will really start to get better.

6. One other thought of his.... if you didn't vote, then you don't have any room to disagree about anything.

This young man has done his time, and served our country well. I salute him. He also told me one other very chilling thing..... he didn't ask me to keep it to myself, so I'll share it here. I've not heard about this in the press, but I have no reason not to believe him. I'm told by this young man that there was a terrorist cell of 3 men broken up at NORAD. Now *that* is scary. I've looked for any news reports on this incident and I can't find any. So I don't know if it was hushed up, or if I was being fed a line. Still, I thought I'd share it with you just the same.

Salutes to the men and women in uniform!

Hello from Oregon...

I'm writing to you from the edge of the Columbia River on the Oregon side. It's a cloudy morning, typical of this place. Oh how I do love the Pacific Northwest. I'm here with my wife and daughter attending some family related stuff for my wife. Still... I can't seem to stop working either. However, sitting here from the balcony of my room, the view is just stunning and it's just unbelievable that I can sit here, wireless, work on my porch and enjoy this view. I can even ignore the fact that my wireless is soooo slow and that my battery is about to give out on me.

Perhaps the best part of this for me is that I have not one but TWO mainlines running right past me. There are two mainline tracks that run along this part of the Columbia, and there are trains running through here just all the time. I love trains, the sound, the feel, the power, the smell are all just so cool! Couple trains and the beauty of the North West and why would anyone want to live anywhere else?

A very long auto train just passed by on it's way to somewhere... (I need to look up the configuration of these tracks to see where they lead too). I love the rumbling sound as they pass by and the clackity-clack of the cars. We are taking the Empire Builder back to Chicago on Saturday, can't wait for that. The Empire Builder is one of Amtrak's long distance trains from Seattle/Portland to Chicago. It's a 2.5 day ride and it's bound to be beautiful. It's the first time I've ridden her (I've done several other Amtrak long distance train trips before) so I'm looking forward to the experience. I have taken each of my kids on a train trip over the years, it's a tradition that my father started with me, and I wanted to keep it up. Of course, it doesn't have anything to do with the fact that *I* just love trains!

Next week I go and take possession of my new airplane. Can't wait for that. More later! Hope everyone has a great day!

Zoomie zoom zoom

Ok, so I said in my last blog entry that I had exciting news. This news is that, pending a few more hurdles (like title checks, inspections and so on) I'm the proud father of a bouncing baby 1976 Cessna 150. Wooo Hooo....

I've been flying since I was a kid. My dad and I would toodle around in his Bonanza all over creation. I got my certificate many years ago, but put flying on the shelf as I had other priorities such as raising kids, being a DBA, Karate and other goodies. Not to long ago, I decided it was time to brush the dust off my certificate, get myself a medical and a BFR, get current again and then buy me an airplane.

I found this 150 sitting in Florida and liked the looks of it. It's just an interim airplane, my goal is a Cherokee 6 or a Bonanza in the next year or two, but I wanted this one to go putter around in for now. So, I'll be flying down south in a couple of weeks to look it over and pay for the thing.

I do love flying, and I look forward to getting my boys involved. Right now, I just have my private certificate, but I'm going to start looking into my instrument ticket now... The plane is IFR certified, and having your own airplane is much cheaper than renting. I checked the rental prices on 150's here in the Chicago areas and they are like 100/hr wet, can you believe that?!?!

So, back in the air with me!!

Greetings from Dallas!!

On the road again....

This Willie Nelson song seems so appropriate today as I am on the road and I'm in the south. I'm in the big "D" to be exact, Dallas, Texas, for the Oracle Applications User Group meeting they are having here. Lots of traveling this month.... I'm off to Seattle next week with my wife and youngest to see some of my wife's family. I do like Seattle.... Lived there for two years. It's beautiful!!

I like the south (love would be a strong word because of the heat and humidity which I have a strong distaste for). I'm originally from Oklahoma, so I'm not all that far from home down here. I must admit though that the west in particular captures my heart with the mountains, which are woefully lacking here in the Midwest. Chicago may be a great city, big and all that, but no mountains.

I'm presenting on 10046 trace files today. It's a new topic for me at conferences, but an interesting one for sure. I'm demonstrating them in concert with external tables (see my earlier post on those things) and trying to show the crowd whats in there and giving them some ideas on how to mine it.

I'm staying at the Gaylord Texan, the conference hotel. Nice place.

I've got another very non-political post coming up (I'm sure you all will cheer that), probably tomorrow or the next day. A very exciting event in my life has occurred and I can't wait to tell you about it!!

So, come back soon, Ya'all!

Robert

ORA_ROWSCN.... New 10g pseudo Column

If you have written code for the web that involves select for update, no doubt you have run into problems where the web session somehow disappeared, and the database didn't realize it. The result is that the record remained locked until you killed the session. I've been involved with several clients now where this is a common problem, so common that they have an automated routine to "clean up" these zombie sessions.

So what do you do if you are writing code, and you don't want to use that pesky FOR UPDATE syntax? Oracle Database 10g offers ORA_ROWSCN!! ORA_ROWSCN provides an answer to consistency, without needing to lock a row. ORA_ROWSCN is a new pseudo column available in Oracle Database 10g. It provides the SCN associated with each individual row in a table when it was read. One thing to note, by default Oracle will not track SCN's at the row level in a table, so you need to enable row level dependency tracking by using the ROWDEPENDENCIES keyword in the CREATE TABLE command. We have noticed no additional performance issues with this feature enabled. Still, it's always a good idea to test things before you just start using them in production! :-)

Here is an example. In an HTMLDB application (but this technique can be used in any kind of 10g application), we want to read in a record from the database and offer the potential to edit the record. We don't want to lock it at this point for a number of reasons (for example, our user might just leave the record up on his/her web browser for an hour). So, we use something like this PL/SQL code when we load our page for the first time:

begin
select b.name, a.adr_id, a.address, a.ora_rowscn,
b.ora_rowscn
into :P4710_EDIT_NAME,
:P4710_ADR_IDENTIFIER,
:P4710_EDIT_ADDR,
:P4710_EDT_NAME_ORA_ROWSCN,
:P4710_EDT_ADDR_RWSCN
from addresses a, place b
where b.place_id=v('P4710_PLACE')
and a.adr_identifier=b.adr_identifier
and a.adr_sequence=b.adr_sequence;
end;

Note in this code that we load in the ORA_ROWSCN values for both the tables/rows we are reading. Now, we make changes to this data, and we get ready to update it. How do we know, though, that someone else has not changed the data?

We could requery the record just before we write it and make sure the data is still the same, but then we really need to use the FOR UPDATE clause again, and we want to avoid that. If we don't use the FOR UPDATE clause, someone could still change the data between the query and the update.

The solution is to use ORA_ROWSCN in your update clause to ensure that the row has not changed since the last time you read it. Here is an example (again, a PL/SQL code block from HTMLDB):

declare
-- Declare the exception
htmldb_record_changed EXCEPTION;
begin
-- Update the HSD-unit_codes table
update addresses
set address=v(':P4710_EDIT_ADDR')
where adr_identifier=v('P4710_ADR_IDENTIFIER')
and v('P4710_EDT_ADDR_ROWSCN')=ORA_ROWSCN;
:P4710_SUCCESSFUL_ADD:='TRUE';

-- See above where we compare the ROWSCN list value to the
-- current ORA_ROWSCN of the table?

-- Note that SQL%ROWCOUNT=0 if we didn’t update a row.
-- This means that the update failed.

if SQL%ROWCOUNT<=0
then
-- We clear the cache of the page.
htmldb_util.clear_page_cache(4710);
-- This raises the error to the user that the record was already
-- changed.
raise_application_error(-20000, 'Record has already been changed by another user.');
else
-- I set this to allow a display message to be printed on
-- the refresh.
:P4710_SUCCESSFUL_ADD=’TRUE’
end if;
end;

Note in the WHERE clause that I check the recorded ORA_ROWSCN against the current value of ORA_ROWSCN for that table. If the record has changed since I read it, then ORA_ROWSCN for the row will be different than the one we stored when we did the earlier select, and then an exception will be raised.

I've found this to be much easier to use that HTMLDB's automated row processing myself. What do you think?

Robert

6/11/2005 Note: I edited this blog to fix an entry that was in error. It indicated that the ROWDEPENDENCIES keyword could be used with the alter table command. In a comment, Tom Kyte has pointed out this is not the case, so I've made that correction here.

Expectations... Friends... Thoughts

Expectations are funny things. If you are an Oracle DBA author, people expect you to post Oracle related things on your blog all the time. Silly that, even if my blog sub-title clearly says that this is about my life... Also, don't expect that I'm going to be serious all the time either.

I have tried to interject some Oracle related stuff, and I will have another post on something Oracle related soon, promise!! :-) More personal stuff is coming, so feel free to leave if that doesn't interest you. I won't be offended.

In spite of my second-degree black belt, I'm not that combative really, and I think that anybody who really knows me knows that about me. In fact, I'm the anti-combatant, I'm all about discussing the merits of whatever the thing is (unless, of course, it happens to be the business end of a weapon, then I'm combative!) .

I'm a pretty faithful friend folks... but I choose my friends carefully. There is little I would not do for my true friends, there is little I would not trust a true friend with. There is nothing better than a true friend.

I pretty much respect other peoples point of view. I will admit frustration (even irritation and on occasion disgust) though with people who are so polarized that they can't discuss anything without loud rhetoric, emotion and mud slinging (and I hate it even worse when I allow myself to be drawn into those kinds of discussions).

I'll even admit that blatant partisianship (on either side) just makes me want to yell at someone or break a board or two or five. I will respect your point of view all day long if you will just provide a fact or two or at least a decent moral argument. That's all I ask. Heck, I'm happy to allow Multiple anonymous posts if they are insightful and smart, even if I don't agree with them.

If I provide facts you disagree with, don't just tell me that I'm crazy, or that I don't know what I'm talking about... At least provide some input of value, of worth and meaning and leave the drivel for the two year olds (ok, that's getting a bit combative!). I freely admit that I can be wrong, I have been wrong and I will be wrong in the future I'm sure. It happens, I'm human.

Just don't come here to be rude, this is not the blog for that. I'm not here to offend, and if I have I apologize. Really. If you are offended by something I say, send me an email or post a comment here, that is not my intent.

I do have an opinion, and will freely express it even if it's not popular. If you are offended by differing opinions, then it would be best if you didn't come here, it's that simple.

So....Let's not go to Camelot.... it is a silly place!

Robert

How do you tell a good DBA?

I've seen many a DBA in my years it seems. I've done technical interviews over the phone and in person. I've been introduced to the DBA staff at many a client site, moving from cube to cube trying to remember names and faces (I'm terrible at names). As a consultant, it seems to me that it's very important to quickly size up the DBA's you will be working with. So, I ask the question, how do you tell a good DBA?

Now, as a consultant, I can't go around giving formal technical interviews. I am not sure this would go over that well....

Me: Hello Mr. X, I have to work with your group and I need to figure out who the good DBA's are and who the idiots are.

Not making friends there.... I kind of pondered on this, and I think I have a subjective set of criteria I use to make some rather rapid decisions. It's not perfect, but it works a good deal of the time:

1. How many books do they have, how worn are they, and WHAT books do they have?

No books, bad news. You are in a managers office.

If the cube is filled with a bunch of 10 year old C books on the book shelves that are dog-eared, but few if any Oracle books, I'm in trouble.

If the cube is filled with a bunch of new Oracle books on bookshelves that look like they have never been touched, you are probably in trouble.

If the cube is filled with only a few, well worn, carefully chosen titles on the bookshelf, you are probably in very good company (but beware, you might have a neat freek on your hands).

If the cube is filled with only a few, well worn, carefully chosen titles scattered all over the place, with paper hanging out of them, dog eared and well used, hey, this is a DBA I can work with!

If the cube is filled with only a few, well worn, carefully chosen titles scattered all over the place, with paper hanging out of them, dog eared and well used, and there are stacks of printed metalink notes, even better!

2. What does the DBA talk about when you meet him?
Ok, if the DBA spends more than 2 minutes talking hobbies or his last vacation.... all wonderful topics, when you sit down to talk, be worried.

If, after a couple of minutes the DBA says, "Hey my hit ratio is 98.9%, how do I make it 99%"... You might have a problem.

If, after a couple of minutes the DBA says, Hey, here is a document on all of our instances, he's probably a good DBA.

If, after a couple of minutes the DBA is demonstrating the HTMLDB application he made that interfaces with the Oracle SGA to produce performance reports without interfering with Oracle itself..... it's time to be scared of this DBA. :-)

3. What is the DBA's response to your request for access

If the DBA's response is: OK, I'll fill out the paperwork and it will take a week....

Well that just simply means you are working at a fortune 5000 company that will be going bankrupt in the next 10 years or so.

If the DBA's response is: Ok, normally it takes a week but I'll take it down and handle it myself so it's done today. This is a *good* DBA most likely, or he knows he's going to be able to shovel off his work on you. One of the two is probably true.

Just a few thoughts....

Robert

Oracle External Tables...

Have you played with Oracle external tables yet? They are perhaps one of Oracle's more overlooked features. I'm mostly interested in DBA/tuning uses of external tables at this point.

When they first came out in Oracle9i I wrote an article in SELECT for IOUG-A on using external tables to read your database alert log from within the database. I'm now using external tables to load the results of 10046 traces into the database (I have a presentation at OAUG on this topic). The results are interesting and fun to play with, that's for sure.

I'm really just starting to play with the 10046 traces in Oracle. I'm trying to figure out some different reports and different ways to play with the data. If you have any ideas, let me know. I'm also struggling with one part of the 10046 loads, that is getting the SQL statement to load into properly into the external table. I've tried several different ways, but so far it's not working like I think it should. I've not had time in the last couple of weeks to work with it again though...

So, I'm curious what kinds of DBA/development/tuning things have you done with external tables?

Those deadly knives...

I KNEW IT WOULD HAPPEN!!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4581871.stm

Just wait, coming to a do-gooding senator or representative near you.... they want our guns, it will be our knives next! Hey, they only want to protect us... right?

These people just have way to much time on their hands folks. It also clearly makes Paul Harvey's point, "Self-government without self-discipline ......."

I really should write something about Oracle, eh?

Robert

HTMLDB Rocks

OK, so in a twist of direction, I thought I'd share my thoughts on HTMLDB.

I've been working with it for a couple of months now I guess. I have to tell you that this is a great environment to develop in. I have really enjoyed the experience. It's a solid product, and the Oracle HTMLDB forum is just remarkable. The actually HTMLDB developers are there... often your question has already been asked and answered on the forum, and the answer is from one of the developers themselves!

I won't say that HTMLDB is simple, certainly basic development is easy. Like anything else, complexity and logic requirements can add to the HTMLDB learning curve. Still, I'd say in spite of this, the learning curve is frequently not as steep as it might be with other languages.

My plan is to start learning more java script so I can integrate that into my HTMLDB screens... but for now, I'm covered up with design paperwork.... so maybe in the future I'll be able to get to it.

So, if you are looking at needing to do some web development, look into HTMLDB.

Iraq.... so many miss the point...

Left, right .... what does it mean anyway?

I will say that when I talk about the "left" I don't distinguish between democrat or republican. There are leftist types on both sides of the isle. While I lean more towards the republicans, I don't see them as the white horse ready to save us and in fact I'm very disappointed in them on many fronts. I think freedom is at risk whoever is in office as long as we the people are content to sit back and let them govern us from a distance. I think freedom is at risk when we are so busy bickering and fighting for power (and make no mistake, that is what so much of the current political scene is about) that we lose sight of the real reason we are here on this planet, that being to aide our fellow man. (I'm sure that there are some exceptional people who are really motivated by what's right here)

I have heard those who have stated that Iraq is a bad war. They state this based on their belief that President Bush went to Iraq with intentions that were self-interest motivated. Based on this belief, they say the war is bad. I'm not sure I know one way or the other, who can read a man's mind? There are those who say we went looking for WMD's that were not there. I say, if we thought they were there, then we should have gone, no questions.

Still, I say, so what? The bottom line is that regardless of the reason that we got there, it was a morally correct decision for US to go there, for the same reason it was morally correct for us to be involved in World War Two. Since the reason is ultimately moral and absolutely correct, then we should be there no matter what the motivation of the commander and chief.

What is that reason? To me, the clear reason here is one word, Genocide. That to me is a trump card, don't pass go, don't collect 200 dollars. See:

http://www.hrw.org/reports/1993/iraqanfal/
http://www.gendercide.org/case_anfal.html

Look at the pictures of the DEAD, GASSED children. Tell me this isn't a moral war.

Get beyond your political polar ice cap and thaw a bit. It is a moral and right war, if it stops the genocide. Period. How many human beings were killed by Sadam? How many more would need to be killed before we said enough is enough? When will we stop turning our head away? This isn't about freedom (which is a perfectly good reason in and of itself), this is about something even more basic. This is about the right to simply live.

So, is the fallout worth it? If one has vision, if one looks at the future with hope and *resolve*, then sure it does. Are the American deaths worth it? It's hard to say yes, but I think that we have to stand by our ideals, by our words. We proclaim freedom to the world. It's high time we put our money and our might where our mouth is. It's high time we did this with might and vigor and with a united people who say "This is where it stops. This is where the evil stops. This is the line, and none shall cross it and live to return again."

Also, do we refuse to do the right thing because the consequences of doing the right thing might be bad? Do we refuse to do the right thing because it might make us look imperial, or it might offend a particular group of religious people? The right thing is often the most difficult, gut wrenching thing one can ever do. Doing the right thing can and does cost lives, sometimes in the end, it can cost more lives than it saves. Doing the right thing was never easy, but it is right.

I wonder, do you think the survivors of the holocaust camps ever once wondered if the allied forces were doing the right thing? Do you think they sat and debated over the political merits of the Soviets getting East Germany in the end, or if Monty or Dwight should lead the charge into France? Do you think the Jews being paraded into the execution chambers thought much about the changing political landscape as the US came into World War Two? Do you, REALLY? Do you question the rightness of World War Two? Only a truly heartless person could ever question that the mass death of any group is worthy of the title "evil".

So, should we get out of Afghanistan or Iraq now, I think not. Now is not the time. We must stand firm in our resolve, we must show them that we are right, and that we know that we are right. Let our vision be in terms not of days or weeks or months. Let us be selfless and realize that this is about our children and grandchildren, thus our vision must be in terms of decades and centuries. We must teach, educate and show them we love them. We must be good and consistent examples. It takes time. Years of fostered hate can not be undone in a year, or a decade. It's an investment though that pays centuries of dividends. Do we love our children and do we love our fellow man, to invest that kind of time? I certainly hope so.

There are other places to go, and horrors to stop. Do we have the guts to take those on? Probably not unless there is political motivation. And that is a shame.

IOUG-A is here!!

IOUG-A, it's the big one folks! My goodness, there is so much going on this week! Tomorrow, I have a full day university session to do, and then I have two other sessions to do.

I love meeting people at IOUG-A. I have lots of friends there, lots of great people, and it's always good to see them.

If your following this blog, and you are going to be at IOUG-A, come look me up.

On another note, my wife and I spent the last two days here having a great time. We went to Disney and MGM. Still, I'm already to get home to my kids. It's terrible that they are all growing up, and soon they will all be heading off to be adults. Knowing that my time is short, I don't mind the 5:30am run to take my two oldest to Seminary, then getting others up for school. Funny thing is that even on the weekends when I don't have to be up (or summer) early, I'm still up at 5:30am..... but it's all good and no complaints!

Thats part of the reason I love working from home. I get to be there when they go to school, I get to be there when they get home. It's a grand thing. Thanks to Don and Janet Burleson for that opportunity.

Enjoy IOUG-A!

Robert

Evil People

There are evil people in the world. I firmly believe this, and it's evidenced every day. You will notice on my blog that one of these evil people has appeared. How can we tell this person is evil?

1. The posts were anonymous.
2. The posts were unkind and out of context.
3. The posts were presumptuous, at best.

I allow comments on my blog because I would hope for intelligent discourse, not drivel from someone hiding behind the moniker of anonymous. Still, wheat does have chaff, and one has to expect it while harvesting.

I can't delete the comments, blogger doesn't let me. I wouldn't even if I could. They demonstrate the type of person that any of us who dare to try to do some good in public (write a book, post our thoughts, etc...) has to deal with. They hide behind anonymity, puffed up by their own foolish remarks. Such wit! Such insight!

As for the comments:

1. I never said that this blog was about Oracle, or anything else. It's my blog, about my life and I'll put in it whatever I jolly well like. If you don't like it, don't read it.

2. My weight is my own issue, and a struggle. Yet, I'm a second degree black belt who can still get some air and do a butterfly kick, I think I'd surprise you as to my agility. I don't eat that much, and ride my stationary bike all the time. Because of injury and time, I've had to cut back on Karate quite a bit... Still, my BP is a nice 120/70 most of the time, thank you very much. I think I'll be around for a while yet.

3. We all die. The question is, what is waiting for us when we do? I don' t presume to judge anyone else, but I look forward to a pleasant afterlife. If it doesn't happen, well this was a nice life anyway. My kids are nearly grown now, and we are remarkably close. Even if I died tomorrow, I've provided the influence they need for the rest of their lives.

So, instead of telling others how to live their lives, why not do some good with your own. Give something back of value rather than garnish your life, and your memory, with worthlesness.

What irks me....

[Blog Note: It is my intent in this blog to be non-combative, but rather insightful and thought proviking. My better half has pointed out that perhaps, this blog post was a bit.... combative. I've revised some of the wording to make it less inflammatory....]

I must admit that I get really tired of misguided points of view. In this case I'm talking about a
post from our friends at Greenpeace. I've just finished reading the most worthless piece of echo-propaganda:

http://www.greenpeace.org/international_en/features/details?item_id=226498
http://www.greenpeace.org/international_en/news/details?item_id=740724

What irks me?

That George Bush is somehow blamed for all of this. There is plenty of blame to go around, and a good part of it is squarely sitting at the feet of President Clinton.

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2003/1/7/164846.shtml

but this is no surprise at all. Our leftist buddies at Greenpeace are not about to bite the hand that feeds (supports if you prefer) them, particularly with Mrs. Clinton poised for her run for the white house.

Also, GreenPeace is squarely to blame as well? Why? Because of this type of mentality (my comments are enclosed in parens):

Here's what we want to see out of this round of the NPT:

* North Korea should abandon the pursuit of nuclear weapons and rejoin the NPT.
(yea, right.... like that's going to happen)

* States should reject the use of military force to resolve proliferation concerns, and uphold the value of multilateral legal mechanisms.
(I'm ok with this as long as everyone can agree that the enemy will target ONLY Greenpeace locations. Seriously, ... so, these guys don't want there to be nukes, but if some rouge state determines they are going to have one....we need to send in the lawyers. The lives of millions of people are at stake here, who are these bozos and why does anyone listen to them? This flies in the face of all reason.)

* States should reject the "first strike" use of nuclear weapons, and agree legally binding security assurances.
(I agree with this for the most part, with some very limited exceptions. If the only way to remove a threatening, rouge state, nuke is to nuke it, then I think that's a viable option to be considered.)

* All nuclear weapon states should commit to the goal of eliminating their illegal nuclear arsenals and halting the development of new nuclear weapons or the "refurbishment" of existing ones.
(Sounds great.... how do we enforce this? How do we make sure someone (like North Korea already has) doesn't cheat? Good luck!)

* States should agree an emergency mechanism to deal more swiftly and effectively with future crises such as North Korea's withdrawal from the NPT.
(It's called military force. The only complaint I have about Pres. Bush is that I think he should have parked 100k troops on the border of S. Korea, along with a nice big naval armada and told the North to give up the nukes or else. Unfortunately, we no longer have a military that can support such an operation in more than one theatre of operation).

The bottom line is that these bozo's need to get real, and understand that these are real physical threats to everyone. I'd love a nuke free world, and I think there are ways of getting there, but until we deal with rouge states that decide that they are going to play by their own set of nuclear rules, that day will never come.

The solution is complex, to be sure, but in this case Greenpeace does not offer a viable solution.

Introducing my much better half...

Thought you might like to see a picture of my wife Lisa.... I happen to be in the photo too.... Sorry about that!

This is on the great BC cruise that we took last month! It was a blast!



Lisa and I on the great BC Cruise!

Hello There!

Welcome to my BLOG! My name is Robert Freeman, here is more about me:

http://dba-oracle.com/resume_robert_freeman.htm

It's early in the morning, as most of my mornings are. I've just returned from taking my kids to early morning (6am) seminary, and I return to find that my friend, Mike Ault, has gotten himself a Blog setup. Well, since my history seems to be that of following Mike around for some reason, I figured I'd better get off my back end and do a blog too.

It's hard to decide where to start this blog, we all want to say something smart and insightful in these things I think. That would be great if indeed I were all that insightful. I think I'm to busy these days to sit atop of a rock somewhere and be insightful about anything.

I've got two older teenage girls (19 and 17) that are participating fully in the world wide conspiracy to drive their parents up the wall. As I anguish over their dating choices, there problems at school and listening to them tell me that I don't understand, I somehow don't have the time to be terribly insightful.

My two sons (16 and 14) have not yet discovered girls to the point that there is nothing else, and thank goodness for that. However, between computers, sports, new jobs, friends and, oh yeah, school, well, time for insight is just lacking.

Then there is my youngest who is 12 and who is in a "lonely" phase. This means that she spends every moment she can with my wife and I. I don't mind this, she's a sweetheart, and I love her to death, but again this doesn’t leave much time for insight.

Finally, there is my wife who manages to keep my world moving. She smiles at me, loves me (in spite of myself) and motivates and councils me. Still, not much time for insight.

I've been an Oracle DBA for a very long time. Currently I am an independent contractor. I work with Burleson Consulting

http://dba-oracle.com/

to provide Oracle DBA services to a number of clients. Additionally I write quite a bit. I have nine books out there:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-form/ref=s_sf_b_as/002-9493337-5907244

Right now, my life is also consumed with writing a book and studying HTMLDB for a project that is gearing up. Thus far I've actually gotten it installed, which was an experience in itself. First, I installed the wrong version.... Now that I figured that out, I've gotten started on the tutorials.

Up to now I've found HTMLDB a nice development environment..... as I progress through the tutorials and move into actual development, we will see if my opinion holds true to this thinking. I'll keep this BLOG updated accordingly.

Enjoy your day!

Robert