"The crows seemed to be calling his name," thought Caw
Volume 4 Number 2: Winter 2004-2005

Dan Tetzlaff
December 6, 2004

Greetings one and everyone!

The snow is falling, the Packers are losing, and radio stations are playing holiday music -- it must be winter! In fact, my winter quarter is now underway. I have two more weeks of classes before break, and eight weeks of classes starting Jan. 3rd.

My Winter 2004-2005 Schedule can be found here: http://www.machiningconcepts.com/dan/msoe/ [Opens in a New Window]

I have 4 classes in addition to Senior Design. They are: Abnormal Psychology, Ethics, US History, and Computer-Networking-Protocols. Thankfully, my first class begins at 10 AM on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday; 11AM on Wednesday; and 2 PM on Thursday. Technically I have senior design at 1 PM on Thursdays, but we do not have to actually meet at that time; nor do we have to meet from 1-3 PM on Tuesdays.

My first class is Abnormal Psychology, where we discuss various mental disorders and abnormal behaviors. So far I really like this course. However, it has become apparent that if many of these psychologists had their way, there would be no such thing as a "criminal" or a "prison," as there seems to be an "illness" or a "disorder" for every single stupid thing that people do.

My next class is Ethics, with the same PETA-approved professor that I had last quarter for Logic. I really enjoy the class, but some of his views and positions can get frustrating at times. So far we have just been discussing the philosophy of ethics, but we will shortly be moving on to personal ethics, business ethics, as well as animal rights.

Going out of order for a second, my last class of the day is U.S. History 1: Colonization through the Civil War. I have the same professor for this class that I had last quarter for American Government. He is a really good professor, in that he is loud and clear and very nice. He also hands out a review sheet before every exam so that we know exactly what to study. Because of this method, I got a 96, 98, 97, and 95 on my four American Government exams. I also have to read Their Sisters' Keepers: Prostitution in New York City, 1830-1870, and write a paper on it. There is also a daily quiz on the assigned readings. All in all, this is probably my favorite class, but it will be a lot of work.

In addition to my three humanities courses discussed above, I have one computer-related course: Computer Networking Protocols. I have the same professor that I had last quarter for Software Design and Database Systems. He is kinda weird and creepy, but he's not that bad. In this class we learn how the protocols and applications that power the Internet work, including TCP/IP, HTTP, and DNS.

In my first lab, we used a program called a "packet sniffer," which records all of the data that passes through a network card. A packet-sniffer allows all HTTP traffic (including many passwords that you type), all Instant Messaging conversations, and any other non-secure data to be collected and shown to the user. Because this is inherently possible with Ethernet, encryption must be used when working with sensitive information, such as online-banking and web-based e-mail. Encryption converts the data sent between two computers to an un-readable format. When the encrypted data reaches its destination, it is converted back to the original data. Ideally, only the intended destination computer is capable of decrypting the information. The stronger the encryption, the longer it takes to crack.

In addition to weekly labs, I have to form a team of four or five people and we have to prepare and give an entire one-hour lecture. While I'd like to think that the professor is doing this so that he can take a week off, I'm sure it will be a good experience.

Lastly, I have senior design. I have finally formed a team and we have made an introductory proposal. We are going to retrofit a remote-control car with a GPS receiver, and maybe even design to be controlled from a remote location. At a minimum, the car will have to get from point A to point B, either in a straight line or following a path by using GPS satellites for guidance. I am not completely familiar with GPS, but I do know that the typical resolution is anywhere from 15 meters down to about 1 meter, depending on the technology we use and the satellite-signal strength. This is a two-quarter project that will not be completed until May. As mentioned above, there are no strict class-meetings scheduled, but we do have to report on our progress to our advisor weekly, and there are various milestones that we have to meet.

On the plus side, I only have 94 more days of school left. However, I have 11 to 12 thousand more days of work!!

Finally, one thing that I've learned while attending MSOE: There are no stupid questions. However, there are a LOT of inquisitive idiots. :)

My Motto: Hard work often pays off in time, but procrastination and laziness always pays off now!

Well it's time for me to bolt, but if you would like to bother me, shoot me an e-mail: dantcv@hotmail.com

Or, if you would like to send large sums of money, or gold:
    Dan Tetzlaff
    928 N. Jackson St.
    Milwaukee, WI 53202

PS: In case you don't know, this is where I live. If you want to stop by, let me know.

The hottest selling bumper sticker comes from New York State: "RUN HILLARY RUN"
    Democrats put it on the rear bumper.
    Republicans put it on the front bumper.

Why did the chicken cross the road?

GEORGE W BUSH:
We don't really care why the chicken crossed the road. We just want to know if the chicken is on our side of the road, or not. The chicken is either against us, or for us. There is no middle ground here.

COLIN POWELL:
Now to the left of the screen, you can clearly see the satellite image of the chicken crossing the road.

HANS BLIX:
We have reason to believe there is a chicken, but we have not yet been allowed to have access to the other side of the road.

JOHN KERRY:
Although I voted to let the chicken cross the road, I am now against it.

RALPH NADER:
The chicken's habitat on the other side of the road had been polluted by unchecked industrial greed. The chicken did not reach the unspoiled habitat on the other side of the road because it was crushed by the wheels of a gas-guzzling SUV.

PAT BUCHANAN:
To steal the job of a decent, hardworking American.

RUSH LIMBAUGH:
I don't know why the chicken crossed the road, but I'll bet it was getting a government grant to cross the road, and I'll bet that somebody out there is already forming a support group to help chickens with crossing-the-road syndrome. How much more can Americans take? Chickens crossing the road paid for by their tax dollars. And when I say tax dollars, I'm talking about your money, money the government took from you to build a road for chickens to cross.

MARTHA STEWART:
No one called me to warn me which way that chicken was going. I had a standing order at the Farmer's Market to sell my eggs when the price dropped to a certain level. No little bird gave me any insider information.

ERNEST HEMINGWAY:
To die in the rain. Alone.

MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR:
I envision a world where all chickens will be free to cross roads without having their motives called into question.

GRANDPA:
In my day, we didn't ask why the chicken crossed the road. Somebody told us the chicken crossed the road, and that was good enough.

BARBARA WALTERS:
Isn't that interesting? In a few moments, we will be listening to the chicken tell, for the first time, the heartwarming story of how it experienced a serious case of molting, and went on to accomplish its life long dream of crossing the road.

JOHN LENNON:
Imagine all the chickens in the world crossing roads together -- in peace.

CAPTAIN KIRK:
To boldly go where no chicken has ever gone before.

SIGMUND FREUD:
The fact that you are at all concerned that the chicken crossed the road reveals your underlying insecurity.

BILL GATES:
I have just witnessed eChicken2004, which will not only cross roads, but will lay eggs, file your important documents, and balance your checkbook. Internet Explorer is an integral part of eChicken.

ALBERT EINSTEIN:
Did the chicken really cross the road, or did the road move beneath the chicken?

BILL CLINTON:
I did not cross the road with THAT chicken. The answer depends on your definition of chicken.

HILLARY CLINTON:
Even though I am the smartest woman in the world and know all there is to know about everything, I do not know anything about any chicken including the one allegedly found in my residence.

AL GORE:
I invented the chicken!

THE BIBLE:
And God spake from heaven, and He said unto the chicken, “THOU SHALT CROSS THE ROAD.” And the chicken didst cross the road, and there was much rejoicing.

COLONEL SANDERS:
Did I miss one?

Above: November 30, 2004 in my Back Patio
Far Above: Milwaukee Holiday Decorations