Today was supposed to be filled with reading a book for a paper that is due which I ordered from Amazon yesterday and had shipped overnight. But, it didn’t quite turn out that way. I did get some of the book read but not nearly as much as I had planned. However, I did get a few other things done that I have been putting off.

For the longest time the Navy has claimed they are moving to a new security paradigm for email and websites that will require the use of a SmartCard. Well the SmartCard also serves as our ID card and is a pretty cool device. Coincidentally there was an article on the Technology Review web site about it today. I’ve had the USB card reader and software for a while but have heard so many complaints and problems resulting from installing it, I put the installation off as long as I thought safe. I also needed to have a card reader for my laptop. The Navy’s solution is to move the bulky USB reader with me when I take my laptop. Well I have enough stuff to carry when I travel and the idea of another device with cable bothers me. I was able to find a supplier of a PCMCIA card reader which I installed on the laptop, again without a problem.

DSL is still not working all the time but BellSouth should be out to check things on Monday. I hope they get it fixed. We just got rid of TV Cable because of rising rates, too few channels, and not particularly good service. I’d hate to have to have cable now just for broadband. Satellite is a possibility but they limit download speeds on that and if I am paying for high-speed then I want high-speed all the time. I also like to tune into Sirius some at night and I can’t do that when DSL keeps disconnecting on me.