Posts by Curtis 194 publicly visible posts • joined 30 Aug 2007
In the case of newly purchased cars, these companies are getting records from your state's records offices. Like much data that has been "commoditized", the sellers don't really care how the data is being used, because it's filling state coffers.
GPS used to be capable of decimeter precision. It was intentionally nerfed by the US government to prevent it from being used for weapons guidance after September 11, 2001. About 2004 as I recall. I used to have a Garmin GPS12 that was capable of MGRS (Military Grid Reference System) positioning to 10 digits (5x5) which equated to a 1 decimeter square area.
I suspect that this is an attempt to circumvent the WARN act is the US.
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/layoffs/warn
Basically, they're not "laying off" workers, they're shifting them and if the worker is "unsuccessful" at finding a new position then they're choosing to leave the company.
I hate to tell you this, but fiber won't be run to these rural areas for 2 decades or more. The population density simply isn't high enough to justify the capital expenditures needed, and frankly there just isn't enough interest in "the innarwebz" in some of these areas to ensure that even 1/10th of the population would take it.
I do this on a daily basis. "Press and hold the <modifier key>. While holding that key, press and release <whatever>. Then release the <modifier> key."
The hardest part is when the modifier is the Windows key, because some people still don't realize there is such a key on the keyboard.
Meanwhile, gnerds like me are asking IT which are the UPS sockets and which aren't for plugging in our "extra" gear. Like my personal laptop, docking station, test gear, soldering station etc. (try explaining to manglerment types why "phone tech support" has a soldering/reflow station at his cubical...)
WinME was a bugfix. Home users installed WIn2000 on their machines, and had to start dealing with NT4.0 issues. And they couldn't "downgrade" back to 98 without reformatting all of their data. So they hurriedly released "ME" built on NT, that was more consumer friendly, as a hold over until they could get XP fully tested and released.
God, I hated tech support in the early 2000's
I've been railing on this "feature" since the Windows ME days at LEAST. Working front line support for an OEM, and having to talk grandma and grandpa through finding a file and the extensions are hidden is a nightmare. It got to a point that one of our first support steps was to disable "Hide file extensions for known file types" early in any call, and when reinstalling Windows would have the customer do this as soon as possible.
I am routinely put on beta teams at my employer with the instructions "Hey, Curtis. See if you can break this". And I do. Because the guys doing the programming don't actually use the software daily.
To this day, there's one dev who has stated that under no circumstances am I allowed to "test" his software. Interestingly, whenever he says that, upper management then pulls him off whatever project he's working on.
My usual response is on the order of "If it doesn't have a processor, or a network connection, it's not IT, it's Facilities. Call Sparky. I'll let him know you're calling and he'll be sure to bring the Russian circuit tester."
Since someone printed that particular BOFH and pinned it to the breakroom bulletin board, the issue usually stops there.
It's not a matter of "buying", which is a whole other level of issues. (You cannot purchase a handgun from an out of state dealer, it has to be shipped to one in state to perform the necessary background checks)
This is a matter of carrying a handgun on your person in your day-to-day life. Some states take a "must issue" stance in which the state must issue the permit unless the background check fails. Some take a "may issue" stance in which the local LEO (Head Law Enforcement Office) can choose to approve or deny. In "may issue" jurisdictions, there's a lot of talk about the system being biased for those who are politically connected or willing to offer something "under the table" to get the permits approved.
And in the US, any firearm purchased from a federally licensed dealer must perform a background check (that involves querying a national crime database) to complete the transfer. A private party can sell a firearm to another private party, but if the seller is caught "in the business of selling firearms" they get hammered pretty severely.
This allows someone to sell a weapon they no longer want causally, without having to bear the expense of going through an FFL to complete the transaction. Since this would involve transferring the weapon to the FFL, who then has to document the weapon make, model, serial number, etc, and then that FFL transferring it again to another person, it creates a bunch of paperwork that the FFL is required to keep for 10 years.
The best description of the US prison system is "demonic". Between the inter-inmate predation, and the unholy charges to talk to family via phone, the entire system is a gross failure of US society.
The entire system is designed to incarcerate slaves and put them to work in the "Prison-Industrial" complex on a scale that would shame China.
Hello!
I'm a hacker who cracked your email and device a few months ago.
You entered a password on one of the sites you visited, and I intercepted it.
This is your password from <my email> on moment of hack: <password I've never used>
Of course you can will change it, or already changed it.
But it doesn't matter, my malware updated it every time.
Do not try to contact me or find me, it is impossible, since I sent you an email from your account.
Through your email, I uploaded malicious code to your Operation System.
I saved all of your contacts with friends, colleagues, relatives and a complete history of visits to the Internet resources.
Also I installed a Trojan on your device and long tome spying for you.
You are not my only victim, I usually lock computers and ask for a ransom.
But I was struck by the sites of intimate content that you often visit.
I am in shock of your fantasies! I've never seen anything like this!
So, when you had fun on piquant sites (you know what I mean!)
I made screenshot with using my program from your camera of yours device.
After that, I combined them to the content of the currently viewed site.
There will be laughter when I send these photos to your contacts!
BUT I'm sure you don't want it.
Therefore, I expect payment from you for my silence.
I think $821 is an acceptable price for it!
Pay with Bitcoin.
My BTC wallet: 1YnYAxprVrTo1WzPPzMo86ste5Ssp4xsy
If you do not know how to do this - enter into Google "how to transfer money to a bitcoin wallet". It is not difficult.
After receiving the specified amount, all your data will be immediately destroyed automatically. My virus will also remove itself from your operating system.
My Trojan have auto alert, after this email is read, I will be know it!
I give you 2 days (48 hours) to make a payment.
If this does not happen - all your contacts will get crazy shots from your dark secret life!
And so that you do not obstruct, your device will be blocked (also after 48 hours)
Do not be silly!
Police or friends won't help you for sure ...
p.s. I can give you advice for the future. Do not enter your passwords on unsafe sites.
I hope for your prudence.
Farewell.
ADSL2+ (the most common technology on landlines) will only do 12.5M max. In order to provide 25M, the provider is looking at Bonded Pair (which sucks up twice as many lines) or VDSL, which required grooming the old lines. And in many areas, especially the "rural" ones, the county commissions refuse to permit the upgrades without hefty "fees".
You mean the same FBI that has interfered in the smooth transition of power and a select few have decided they know better than the American Electorate? Why wouldn't we trust them with a universal back door. It's not like they've abused their power and wiretapped candidates and elected officials just because they didn't like them.
Oh.
I still say your best defense is an offensive offense. Make your password "Sodoffyoufuckingwanker"
Then, you can give your password with impunity. And they'll of course refuse try it. Then, when you go to court, you simply say that you provided them the password and they still violated your human rights because they didn't believe you.
"This employee works well when cornered like a rat and under constant supervision."
That being said, I know one person who suspected a particular former employer was providing a bad and biased reference. Due to her separation, she had already engaged a lawyer. They had their receptionist call and ask for a reference. Which what then added to the suit for sexual harassment and wrongful termination. Which, in Florida where this happened, is almost never decided in the employee's favor. This one was.
When I started at my current employer, on an Internet Hell Desk, I was assisting a new customer setting up a modem. Part of the setup includes walking through a walled garden that requires the customer agree to a "Terms of Service" This is as close to the exact wording as I can remember:
Me: "Ok, now just read the Terms of Service, scroll down, and click agree."
Her: "I'm a lawyer. No one reads these. I'll just agree."
Me: "Umm, you really should have read that first. <Company Redacted> now owns your soul."
Her: "I'm a red-head. I don't have one."
Much humor was had, manglers got involved, and there was some talk about possible misconduct. The fact that the CUSTOMER said it saved my job.
No. It's not. I used to smoke (switched to vaping) and cleaned the inside of my PC at least quarterly. This meant a full strip down, wiping down the board with 91% and qtips, cleaning all the fans and heatsinks, etc. A complete environment clean.
All this stemmed from a position at a company that had to replace the payroll computer at least yearly, because the elderly lady working on it chain smoked. Computers can die of smoke inhalation.
Yeah, I saw the same episode. What they missed was they were using new, undamaged CDs. If even the smallest crack appears at the center hole, the stress at over 48x will break the CD.
For a VERY short time, 90x drives were available (2001 or so) and these had such issues that fragments of disks would some out the side of the PC case.
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