New FPGA related blog over at All Programmable Planet. This one covers VHDL arrays with the comments diverging off on integer versus vector usage for counters, addresses and indexing.
http://www.programmableplanet.com/author.asp?section_id=2488&doc_id=257411&
A recent comment I left on a friend's Facebook post concerning Guns and the events in CT on 12/14/2012.
the 2nd Amendment is a right, and as defined, "shall not be infringed". yet, every law, regulation, ban, etc is by definition, unconstitutional. in contrast, driving a car or flying a plane are privileges and as such are not afforded the same guarantees as a right.
furthermore, the 2nd Amendment is a check and balance against the power of the govt, and it therefore makes no logical sense that the govt should have the power to modify this basic right and only the power to guarantee that state and local govt are not infringing upon this right.
it is really no one's business, nor the govt's, what we do in the privacy of our own homes, as long as we are not violating the personal liberty of someone else, whether intentional or accidental.
now personal responsibility would imply that I should apply common sense to everything I do, whether or not it is required by law.
does it make sense to secure your home? absolutely. does everyone do this? no way. is it required by law? no (not that I have heard of anyway). it may deter a criminal, it may not.
does it make sense to further secure firearms in your home? absolutely. especially if young children live or visit the home. but it begs the question, who else are you securing them from, besides children, to prevent accidents? is it required by law? evidently in some places, yes. it may or may not deter a criminal. it may or may not avoid an accident.
does it makes sense to voluntarily seek out firearms training for safe handling and safe storage? absolutely. but, this really falls under self responsibility. even with the best of training, accidents still occur. and crimes till occur.
we live in a free country, and as such are free to exercise common sense and maintain self responsibility, just as much as we are allowed to be impulsive and throw all caution and common sense into the wind, both within the bounds of law, and in violation of law (and be subject to the penalties of doing so). the govt cannot ever be successful in an attempt to mandate or legislate away stupidity or mandate/legislate in common sense and self responsibility without violating the personal liberty of each individual. these things must be taught and learned. it is up to us as individuals to keep ourselves safe, not "feel good" laws or the govt.
"feel good" laws, to which gun control belongs, do not keep us safe nor prevent crime.
the mass murder in CT happened for a few reasons:
a) the school is a "Gun Free Zone". this means that our individual right to self-defense was removed, and no alternative protection was provided by those in authority creating that "Gun Free one". this "Gun Free Zone" created potential victims and painted a big target on itself.
b) the gunman's mother "made the choice" to not safely secure her firearms, especially given there was a mentally sick person living in the home. neither the NRA nor any other pro gun group made this choice for her. it was hers and hers alone.
c) an evil, mentally sick person, "made a choice" to murder dozens of people, in a "Gun Free Zone". he didn't target a gun show, or shooting range or Police Station.
and just like all but one mass shooting in the last 40 or 50 years, this one occurred in a "Gun Free Zone", which is the crowning glory of gun control advocates. the staff only had their bodies and wits to fight back with, because their right of self/student defense was removed.
mass murders are not only committed with guns. just ask the families of the Oklahoma City bombing, or the victims of 9/11. In fact, the aircraft used in 9/11 were "Gun Free Zones". These "Gun Free Zone" have actually been addressed to some degree, yet we continue to leave our children unprotected.
guns, nor any other object create criminals. choices and actions do. and taking away or infringing upon the right of self defense only creates more victims.
the events in CT should further drive home the lack of understanding of mental illness in this country and how to help these people, rather than punishing innocent people thru Nazi-like gun control laws.
Final part of my VHDL Style Guide
http://www.programmableplanet.com/author.asp?section_id=2488&doc_id=254304&
My first blog is live on the site All Programmable Planet. It is an programmable logic themed technical site. This first blog is Part 1 of my spin on a VHDL style guide based upon things I've picked up at each place I've worked over the years.
http://www.programmableplanet.com/author.asp?section_id=2488&doc_id=251194&
Part 2 has been submitted. I will post a link when it goes live.
I started installing tile in the laundry room on 7/8/2012. I finished on 7/21/2012.
see my page about it http://www.sampsel.us/~jsampsel/index.php/Tile_Flooring_Install_LR
I'm really bad with this news thing. I'll have to try and do better
more pictures added to April 2011 gallery.
also, i am starting to write some bass lines for a few of my friend Jason Witt's new songs.
stay tuned.
from when i jammed with Bill Fisher and David Erick. These two are now in a band called "The Shift Below", still in Colorado Springs. i also added a jam snippet with Jeremy Tippets (aka JereJack) that i added hydrogen drums to. the drums were arranged by me, but used with permission from Brian over at Brian's Bedroom, http://briansbedroom.org
under the music page. each band has a subpage with music players.