Soapbox style rants
And with it, the last of my engagement. Tapbots makes incredible software for interacting with twitter. Despite it’s already limited API integration, chief twit killed the integration completely with no word or warning. You had incredible developers working for your users, but now you have pissed them off. I cannot wait to see the incredible work that comes out of spite.
Thank you Jon Oliver for putting the dream of carbon neutrality only $1 away. https://www.oliversoffsets.org/
*We think. Given the uncertainties of carbon math, this claim cannot be guaranteed.
i posted my ballot for the gubernatorial recall election. No thanks, we can wait for the general to replace him. the whole process took 5 minutes.
VOTE!
In a tweet by @todayininfosec we were all reminded of this day in 1999 when @Dildog and the cDc crew presented Back Orifice 2000 (BO2K) to a delighted crowd at Defcon 7. It was quite a show complete with music, projectors, lights, lasers, and even a Speak-n-Spell. It was a lot of fun, and i was elated to be there. i replied early with my memories, but then i remembered that i had found some photos while cleaning. . .so i posted them. These were film prints from an instamatic (as was the style at the time), so they didn’t come out great! they do offer a tiny keyhole through which we may peer into the past. i am glad it is bringing joy. Then @defcon (the official conference account) retweeted. *blush*
It was much quicker and less painful then I expected. It’s important to be counted. See you in 10 years!
The amazing people behind Folding@home have set their sights on COVID-19. Their efforts are to better understand how the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 can be targeted with small molecule and antibody therapeutics. Got any computers that aren’t doing anything? join up.
The Mac client needs work to support GPUs, but my stats are rising!
I got out to vote a little later than i hoped and encountered a longer line than i have ever before (at least from voting). Only 55 minutes, nothing like some lines i have heard about. I got to play with the new electronic voting system. “It’s not connected to the internet” was the response that i received when inquiring into the device security. I have high confidence of the paper trail on these units, but I imagine that these machines do some sort of tabulation. Unless we actually count the paper ballets, it is those tabulations that we are expected to trust. These tabulation are trivial to manipulate if the devices are tampered with. “Don’t worry, it’s offline” dissuades none of these fears. Here are some pictures i took. Not pictured are the 2 broken units that were taped off at my precinct. Also, i was told that they should not have allowed me to take these pictures. i don’t know if that is true, but they did not seem to mind at the time. (i wasn’t wearing that shirt at the time)
This particular ancient server has stood as the glue holding several ancient record keeping systems together. Today marks the last day that it was operating. I supported this computer for almost it’s entire lifespan. This Dell ran consistently for over 10 years with very little trouble. Now your watch is over.
I have been retiring or upgrading unsupported systems all year. it’s to know that all the critical systems are up to date. Let this be yet another warning if you are running Windows XP, Vista, 7, or 2008 Server (or anything earlier), you should upgrade immediately if you are online in any capacity. Same goes for macs older then 10.13 (High Sierra). Seriously, don’t let it become a problem.
With this last message Rex clearly considers the matter closed. I am offered no explanation or path to resolution. The only explanation is that they need to explain nothing. I am often referred to their terms of service.
The most baffling part is that i am left wondering how this is “for the security of all our users”? i mean, They allow for strangers to create new accounts all the time. i have already created an alternate Google Play account to buy the very software that started this mess. (This time, i have severed these devices ability to communicate with google. Good luck killing the apps now. mahahahaha!)
It seems Google has been tripping all over themselves lately. This latest demonstration of their own massive incompetence is just one more nail in their coffin. They provided zero protection, only huge annoyance to someone who was once a vocal advocate of their products and services. Goodbye Google.