FAQ.html

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layout: default
title: "goltz20707: FAQ"
---

    <h1>Frequently Asked Questions<br/>
      <span class="smaller">of James P&#8756; GOLTZ (goltz20707)</span></h1>

    <ol>
      <li><a href="#goltz20707">Why <q>goltz20707</q>?</a></li>
      <li><a href="#barebones">Why is this page so bare-bones?</a></li>
      <li><a href="#message">How can I get a message to you?</a></li>
      <li><a href="#bitcoin">How can I send you money via Bitcoin?</a></li>
      <li><a href="#fix_this">Can you help me fix X?</a></li>
      <li><a href="#code_that">Do you know how to code X?</a></li>
      <li><a href="#surname_caps">Why is your last name in all caps?</a></li>
      <li><a href="#threeball">What's with that weird three-dot
	  character?  Are you a pawnbroker?</a></li>
    </ol>

    <hr/>
    
    <dl>

      <dt id="#goltz20707">Why <q>goltz20707</q>?</dt>
      <dd>Once upon a time, I needed a username I was fairly certain
	would be unique.  I was tired of using <q>goltz</q> in some places,
	<q>goltz1</q> or <q>goltz7</q> in others, and so on.  So I
	computed the checksum of goltz using the BSD algorithm
	(<span class="code">echo -n goltz | sum -r</span> in
	Unix-speak).</dd>

      <dt id="barebones">Why is this page so bare-bones?</dt>
      <dd>It's a work in progress.  I don't have much to say.  Most
	of it is hidden from unqualified observers.  I'm lazy.  Take
	your pick.</dd>

      <dt id="message">How can I get a message to you?</dt>
      <dd>Email and PGP are your best first step.  We can arrange
	encrypted IM via email; I can accommodate
	<a href="https://crypto.cat/">CryptoCat</a>
	and <a href="https://chatsecure.org/">ChatSecure</a>, plus
	anything else you can steer me towards.</dd>
      
      <dt id="bitcoin">How can I send you money via Bitcoin?</dt>
      <dd>Don't know why you'd want to, but send it to
	<span class="bitcoin"><a target="_blank" href="https://blockchain.info/address/{% include bitcoin-addr.html %}">{% include bitcoin-addr.html %}</a></span>.</dd>

      <dt id="fix_this">Can you help me fix&mdash;</dt>
      <dd>No.</dd>

      <dt id="code_that">Do you know how to code&mdash;</dt>
      <dd><em>No.</em></dd>

      <dt id="surname_caps">Why is your last name in all caps?</dt>
      <dd>In some official international instances, the surname is put
	in all caps to distinguish it from the rest of the
	name, <i>e.g.</i>: John SMITH, Gabriel GARCIA LORCA, TURANGA
	Leela.</dd>
      
      <dt id="threeball">What's with that weird three-dot character?
	Are you a pawnbroker?</dt>
      <dd>No.  It's something of an affectation among Freemasons.  We
	use
	the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Therefore_sign"><q>therefore</q>
	sign</a> where we would otherwise use a period.  It's kind of
	a <q>secret</q> signal, like
	a <a href="http://mpedia.dan.info/index.php?title=Little_yellow_map_pin">little
	yellow map pin in the lapel</a> for Mensa members, or
	a <a href="https://esperanto-usa.org/en/node/711">green
	star</a> for Esperanto speakers.  See
	the <a href="http://www.masonicinfo.com/explain.htm"><q>Please
	Explain</q></a> page of the
	<a href="http://www.masonicinfo.com/">Masonic Info web
	  site</a>.</dd>

      <dt>Wait a minute&mdash;you're a Freemason?</dt>

      <dd>Yeah.  Some people are.  It's really not that big of a deal.
	Just remember
	that <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sturgeon%27s_law">Sturgeon's
	  Law</a> applies to all information on the internet, especially
	about Freemasons.</dd>

      <dt>Are you a Satanist?</dt>

      <dd>Grow up.  Also: no.</dd>

    </dl>