Jack Manassas and Company

 I Climbed a Tree on the Back Lawn of the White House Well, not recently, but this is a true story-- The date I climbed the tree was July 4th.  I can’t remember the year, but it was in the 1960's– Probably the early 1960's.   At that time, the White House had a policy of drawing the names of a few businesses and/or government agencies from a hat, and inviting the lucky employees, and their families, to enjoy a picnic on the back lawn of the White House, and watch the 4th of July fireworks.  I don’t think they do this anymore.  It is probably my fault. On that happy year, my Dad’s company was chosen, and he showed up on July 4th with his wife and five kids in tow, and an old blanket for us to sit on.  I have vivid memories of that day. When we crossed through the gate and onto the driveway inside it, I was struck by the extreme smallness of the gravel in the asphalt driveway of the White House.  The stones were tiny, with a very u...

Keeping Track of Passwords I remember reading an article about Passwords in the 1990's.  It might have been in PC World Magazine (R), or maybe the Washington Post.  Can’t remember where it was, but at least some of these ideas came from that article.  Anyway, passwords came up again this week.  One of my legion of readers writes, “I have something like 20 passwords that I have to remember, and some of them have to be changed frequently.  I am always forgetting my passwords!  What can I do?” There are a number of password-making strategies.  The most common ones have critical weaknesses: 1) The Key to the Kingdom. This is a password so marvelously easy to remember, yet so difficult to guess, that the user sets it as his password every time he needs one.  The weakness is obvious.  If someone guesses or finds the password, he has instant access to a bank account, medical records, tax returns, emails and work accounts. 2) The...