Tag: Technology

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Situational Awareness

Wheee

I was doing a little shopping in the OC yesterday.  It was a little rainy so… well, people were more than a little nuts.

Water! FROM THE SKY??? It’s the END of the world!

Growing up on the East coast I think nothing of rain. Hail on the other hand just pisses me off if I’m driving in it, it’s hell on the paint.

I digress!

Glad I didn't buy lunch

As I’m walking around in the mall, I’m noticing people walking around and texting. I can only think that I’d like to position myself in front of the nearest fountain, have a nice cup of coffee and wait for some dumbass to try to walk on water.

Then I notice that the majority of the people in the mall are women. That makes sense, these are soccer moms and they’re trying to get ahead on the shopping while the kids are at school.

Text Fountain

As I walk past the Sony store (yes really) there’s a CNN report blaring about the “War on Women” and that idiot publicity seeker Lena Dunham. Suddenly it hits me like a ton of bricks…

Every single one of these women I’ve been having to avoid because they aren’t watching what they’re doing, is a potential target.

I’m probably going to take some flack about this. But really ladies get a freaking clue, if you’re so focused on texting or looking something up on your phone in a mall that you don’t notice a guy walking toward you, then you turn directly into his path and stand still, you’re a target.

It’s equally possible for someone to be walking behind you waiting to pass in front of one of the service hallways or a construction barrier, then grab you, cover your mouth, and drag you out of the sight of anyone who could help. 

Texting Lady

If it’s a rapist they’re going to have their way with you and no-one would be the wiser. If it’s just someone who wants your purse, phone, or the bags you’re carrying they too are going to take your shit and be gone before you’ve even figured out what’s happening.

In addition to you being completely checked out of life, you’re rude as hell.

Ladies, if you need to text someone, move out of the walkway. Find a spot on a bench or with your back against a wall then text away!

This serves two functions.

1) You’re out of the way of the rest of the mall’s patrons.

2) At least you’ve narrowed the directions that attack could come from. Who knows, you might even see someone coming at you out of the corner of your eye.

The message I’m trying to convey ladies is; don’t be so clueless that you become a victim.

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Tis the season…

NOSPAM

For my SPAM filters to get a hell of a workout!

Starting November 1 a wall of SPAM has been flooding into my system daily.

A lot of it seems to be associated with scams designed to look like insurance offers dealing with the ACA. But if you look at the links, these offers are originating in China (cn) and Russia (ru).

So Ask yourself why would ACA insurance offers be originating form either of those two countries when the US Government spent a fortune for a web site to sell you insurance?

In addition to these weird offers I’ve been seeing the offers for weight-loss, the usual male enhancement stuff, shitty bits of software, fax services, and even toilet paper. Toilet paper? Yep, some kind of coupon scam…

Clearly not targeted marketing, I have a Costco membership! I buy toilet paper on a pallet! 

I woke up this morning to 40 SPAMS and those are the ones that slipped past my SPAM filters. Checking the filters on the server showed over 100 rejected junk mails. A couple of them were in languages that I’m not even sure I can properly identify.

All of which is to say, be vigilant! There are a lot of scummy people trying to get their hands in your pockets.

No, not yet enough of a justification to run out and buy an iPhone 6 give me a couple of years.

 

 

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I Hate Verizon, I Hate Verizon, I Hate Verizon!

Indian Call Center guy from Transformers

I hate Verizon for ohhh so many things but today I especially hate them for the following. 

I’m paying for 3372 / 768 DSL I think that’s the right number combination. I’d look it up to be exactly spot on, BUT Verizon’s web page is behaving like I’m using a dial-up connection.

The speeds I’m getting on my DSL connection are varying from 1024 to 2112 / 500 to 860. (First number is download speed, the next number is upload speed)

As I said I’ve tried to access their web page to figure out if there is a way to report the problem without having to wait on hold for 45 minutes then speak to someone who sounds like an episode of SouthPark. You know the sounds… dirka dirka bla dirk neeig hhhaaa dis is johnny coon I dirka you?

Fried Chip

Then be run though a series of dumb assed “TESTS” that prove nothing about the quality of their shitty service but everything about their condescension to their customers.

After all, what part of; “Your service was working this morning, then degraded, then quit, and my router is saying it can’t see a stable DSL connection. The router is indicating the failure by the display of RED indicators on it’s front panel and its control interface which I am looking at via my internal network, is saying that the DSL Carrier signal is dropping at .5 second intervals,” don’t these morons understand?

“Well sir your network cannot work unless you have your computer directly connected to our DSL machine.”

The Riddler

Really? then riddle me this… how am I supposed to print to a network printer?

“Sir, you would connect the printer to the computer.”

Then how would I be able to print a web page? The computer and the printer only have ONE ethernet port.

“I don’t know sir, I can’t advise you.”

BUT YOU JUST DID! You just told me to disconnect my DSL modem from my fully functional internal network and connect my computer directly to the DSL modem in order for your service to work. I’ll tell you what, let me speak to a supervisor.

“Certainly sir, one moment… “

I sigh in frustration, all I want to do is report that they’ve got a problem with DSL in the area.

Hitler on Hold with a call center

Thinking about it this is exactly why I left Verizon Cellular. (I think) Aside from them overselling their network to the point that I couldn’t have a conversation along the 91 Freeway that didn’t drop the call every 30 seconds, I called them to report one of their cell towers had part of the antenna array hanging by its wires and blowing in the wind.

I knew it was their tower because Verizon Signs were all over the fence surrounding the base of the antenna mast.

Hitler NEIN!

But the idiot that answered the phone wanted to put me through a phone diagnostic instead of listening to what I was reporting; “Hey your have part of your antenna at this location swinging in the wind you might want to get a repair crew out here.”

After realizing I wasn’t getting anywhere I hung up I figured, “Fine, let 150,000 dollars worth of equipment crash to the ground from 80 feet up. Not my problem!” The moron called me back to complete the phone diagnostic.

Click, Click: “dirka dirka blingbla dirk neeig hhhaaa dis is Ronny coon I dirka you?”

Me after dealing with Verizon

ARRRRHHHHHGGGGGGGHH!

After 45 minutes, I suit up…

I’m gonna go collect me some Skulls!

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In the “Bet your butt on a machine,” category…

I have a friend who used to say, “Bet your ass on a machine and you’re going to get screwed.”

This is ironic considering that later in his life he, by necessity had to do exactly that, literally! He’s still alive and kicking thankfully.

The reason I thought about my friend, his phrase, and the ATM machine that had just screwed me, is due to reports coming out of Illinois where voting machines have been reported (and recorded) switching votes from Republican to Democratic candidates.

The machines are sentient I tell ya, Next election cycle they’re going to demand full citizenship! Alright I’m taking off my tinfoil hat!

No I’m not that crazy, neither am I a believer that it’s a nefarious plot on the part of the Democrats to steal votes.

It’s a touch screen and while the units should be factory calibrated, it’s possible that a scratch protection screen has been added or replaced which has caused the factory calibration to be invalid.

This isn’t a plot to take over the world by the Democrats, I’d bet if the Republican candidate was the top listing that a vote for the Democratic candidate would be switched in the same fashion.  Of course it would be much bigger news then.

After all it would finally prove to the media and progressives, beyond a shadow of a doubt that Republicans sit at the right hand of Satan and are using their fell powers to take over the world…

It’s Skull & Bones, or the Illuminati I tell ya! 

Conservatives aren’t the only group who line their baseball caps with tin foil…

Here’s a link to the Breitbart Article and the Video.

 

I hope you al have a marvelous day and don’t forget to review your candidates, propositions, measures, and please make an informed choice at the polls next week. Just because the TV says something is good or bad doesn’t mean it’s so.

Read all the information you can about candidates and in the end, don’t vote for party, or perceived personal gain, vote your heart. Vote for  what you believe will be the best course of action for your country, state, county, and ultimately… Your neighbors.

Our Republic works if we participate.

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Well, that was relatively painless

OSX Yosemite

Ok, Perhaps I am a fan boi.

I downloaded Apples newest OS today and it installed without a hitch… so far as I can tell.

Yosemite is awesome, flat and fast.

I’ve never had an OS update that was faster than it’s predecessor and I’m kinda digging this.

Obviously there is a lot more to investigate but honestly, in this full OS Upgrade thing, Apple is king.

I’m looking forward to the integration between the Computer, the phone, and the iPad. All that stuff should be implemented fully on Monday when the IOS update to 8.1 happens.

In the mean time, I get to explore a new Mac OS. 

Happy Friday!