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NNCUG’s July meeting attendees learned that “Fingerprinting is a science that identifies a person to the exclusion of all others. Prints never change on individuals after the 20th week of gestation,” according to FBI fingerprint analyst, Michelle Thompson, daughter of NNCUG treasurer, Jim Thompson, and wife Bev.
Fingerprint differences have been known since the days of Babylon. They were used in criminal investigations in the 1800s. In 1924 there were over a million fingerprint cards on file in Leavenworth with no way to use them effectively.
The Integrated Automated Fingerprint Information System (IAFIS) currently in use was initiated in 1963. When computers came along in the 1980s the Babylonian confusion of each state and governmental entity began to unscramble and connect the dots. Computer files replaced the stacks of cards and three axis readouts could speed up the process of pinning down the evil doer’s identity. There now is a 54-85 million record database in West Virginia available 24/7 to offer an answer to criminal inquiries in 2 hours and about 24 hours in civil case requests. The computer has a standardized format for all records allowing it to pin down the twenty or so closest records to the requested latent fingerprint submitted. A human analyst like Michelle then screens those records until finding the exact match. The latent print is then added to the file and in record time the apprehended person is identified and either let go or legally jailed. The analyst making the decision may later be called on to appear in court as an expert witness. Their record of convictions is excellent.
Michelle reported that eye and foot metrics are scheduled to be added to the database in the future. They are also capable of adding genetic markers. In the world of well known cases, Michelle noted that a print off a book in Montgomery, Alabama was identified as one of the snipers in the Washington, DC killings a few years back. The print was quite old and implicated them to crimes in other places before DC. She explained that latent prints hang around many years and can be used to solve many cold cases.
Michelle showed slides of fingerprint patterns and how microscopic differences can be uncovered by close examination. It was very rewarding to see an analyst at work explaining her craft. The members of NNCUG certainly are gratified to have people of her caliber protecting and maintaining our American justice system in a proven and scientific way. Thanks, Michelle, for the great presentation. Thanks, Thompsons for bringing her to NNCUG.
And NNCUG also reports: We have moved our meeting place from the local library in Kilmarnock, VA. to a retirement settlement in the next town, Irvington, Va. This because we were contacted by them informing us that a group of the retirees were considering setting up their own computer group. Since there were 20 or more interested, it was thought that adding this group to our own would be advantageous. They have a nice facility and microphone plus screen for our presentations. They provide the coffee and we provide the donuts for the meeting.
There are many benefits to being a member of the Brookdale Computer Users Group. In addition to meeting people of like interests, you get to know who knows what and who can answer questions you may have. Members often help each other with computer problems.
o Download workshop handouts
o Sign up on various BCUG email lists
At the August meeting, Joel May described “Things You Might Not Know About Google.” He noted that most of the world uses Google as a primary search engine, but many people don’t know that Google is also a phonebook, a dictionary, a weather forecaster, a package tracker and movie guide (among other things). In this presentation, Joel revealed some of Google’s lesser known talents.
Joel spent most of his adult life teaching, first at the Graduate School of Business of the University of Chicago and, subsequently, at the School of Public Health of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, with a stint in between as President of the Health Research and Educational Trust of New Jersey, a subsidiary of the New Jersey Hospital Association. He holds a BS degree in Economics from Albright College and an MBA and PhD in Economics and Statistics from the University of Chicago. He has used computers since 1961, the Internet since 1974, PCs since 1979, and the World Wide Web since 1994. Since retiring in 1995, he has volunteered his time teaching computer skills to senior citizens at the Ewing SeniorNet Computer Literacy Center, reading for the blind at the NJ Library for the Blind and Handicapped and singing in Princeton Pro Musica and the Hopewell Valley Community Chorus.
The September meeting covered “The Linux Desktop”, presented by Kim Goldenberg. He notes that the Linux operating system is free and runs on PC hardware. Linux has a powerful desktop and powerful free applications. Kim demonstrated the Linux desktop and some of the free Linux applications. He also discussed advantages of switching to Linux for everyday needs.
Kim has worked with computers for over thirty-five years, and with PCs for almost twenty of those years. Linux has been his passion for about eight years now, and he is Linux Professional Institute (LPI) Level 1 certified.
Future events include October, “Firefox Browser Extensions” by John LeMasney; November 5, “Social Software: Hype vs. Reality” by Karen Klapperstuck and Janie Hermann; and the December Christmas Party.
On August 9, County Executive Ike Leggett and his public affairs officer, Patrick Lacefield, visited CPCUG’s ReBoot facility.
The purpose of the visit was to observe what’s done there, its impact on the county, and what its cost and benefit to the county are.
Ike drove from the County Executive office building without his usual entourage. He spent twenty minutes touring all three floors and met Joe Simonetti, a volunteer, who was working extra time on his own that day.
Mr. Leggett next observed some of the records kept, sorted by month, showing that CPCUG furnishes computers to almost every county human services agency for $5 each. He also saw the award received from the Board of Education last year and several letters from grateful PC recipients. Gerry estimates that with the current volume, CPCUG distributes at least a million dollars worth of equipment each year, about 80% to county residents and non-profits. This could be nearly doubled with more and (especially important!) permanent space. Offers are pending from developer friends of a volunteer to furnish labor and materials to set up workstations similar to those in large computer dealers. The county assigns a value of $2,000/month for space provided at no cost in the Fleet Street building. It’s clearly a huge benefit/cost ratio to the county and meets a real need to help close the digital divide. Gerry said that Sharon Strauss, who runs the Linkages to Learning program for county public schools estimates that there are 25,000 county families without computers for their school-age children. Finally, Gerry tabulates the total payroll as the two dozen donuts his wife buys with personal funds for volunteers every Wednesday. The following Tuesday, Gerry contacted Patrick Lacefield, who had instigated the visit; he responded that Mr. Leggett was very impressed with the project and intends to do something to support it. They know about the deadline for vacating the current refurbishing building by the end of the year.
Garson notes that photography while traveling presents unique challenges, particularly in remote areas and under extreme climate conditions. His presentation focuses on digital photography, addressing (a) a brief comparison of film vs. digital, (b) equipment to bring, (c) considerations of weather and climate (tropics and arctic conditions), (d) photographing people in foreign cultures, (e) photographing animals and plants, buildings, and various mundane objects. This is all illustrated with numerous photos taken around the world.
A few slides from the talk:
Comparison of Digital and Film Photography
Optical principals identical
1.6 focal zoom/crop factor for digital cameras
See www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/digital-camera-sensor-size.htm
Wide angle lens needed for digital cameras
Digital provides instant feedback
Below 12-15 megapixels, film gives better quality
Equipment to Bring
Point & shoot camera–discrete photos
SLR camera for control & quality
Media cards (CF, SD, etc) or film
Extra camera battery
Camera battery charger
Power converter (foreign travel)
Sealable plastic bags
Receipts for equipment (foreign travel)
Camera manual
Lens brush & lens cleaning fluid
Camera bag and/or backpack
Laptop computer with card reader(s)
For SLR camera
Lenses
Haze (UV) filters for each lens
Filters (polarizing, for example)
General Comments
Take multiple shots of same object
Bracket shots with ±exposure
Outside U.S. no police or military
In Africa, no “public buildings”, bridges
Many countries, no military installations
Caution — photos of Muslim women
See www.pcworld.com/article/id,125893/article.html for U.S. laws
Camera Equipment
Camera equipment -- you get what you pay for
4 x 6 prints and computer display–modest quality ok
8 X 10 or larger -- higher quality needed
Cropping requires higher quality
DSLR better than point & shoot
Tripod very useful but cumbersome
Zoom lenses more versatile than fixed focal length, but lower quality.