Month: April 2013

Library administrators just don’t get it and that just bugs me!

Paul

Blocking Proxpm

At the Library!

You hit the road for your favorite library and you decide you want to protect yourself from all those snooping people who like to watch what you do.   The problem is you have an unprotected and unencrypted network.   You try as you might to get a VPN setup and you just can’t connect.  So you try to find other VPN’s that woul work and your instantly blocked.  They’ve installed websense into their serves to prevent people from using a VPN.  

Not all VPNS are bad!

When I found this out, I was really irked by them preventing me from visiting such website.  I suspect they are worried someone will use a VPN to visit porn sites or research something bad.  It wouldn’t be so bad if they woul allow people to use VPN or ones they trust but this is a blacket attempt to prevent people from using them.  

Ways they can help people wit h security!

If they want to prevent this an still monitor traffic.   That is also fine with me, I understan this.   I just don’t feel comfortable using a public wifi without some privacy protection.   What if somone gets my credit card while I am using their public wifi.  Would they be liable?  More than certain, they have some clause to prevent this.

All they would have to do is make all open wifi spots encrypted with a way for guest to login to.   They wouldn’t have to have a different password for every person login in.   A simple guest password would suffice and make every wifi connection secure to prevent someone from snooping over the air transmissions.   libraries probably won’t do this but I am asking they look into this problem and come up with a solution to help us security minded people.   If they do nothing, then nothing will be solved.  

Paul Sylvester 

 

Why using the Reverse Pin number won’t work!

Paul

Seems to circulating around!

I got this email about this and wanted to clarify something about this and I wasn’t sure if this was a hoax or not.    Wikipedia is not helping this myth if it is but I will talk about the reasons why it won’t work and explain to you in detail the reasons!

Privacy!

In the Privacy Act of 1974, No business or organization can release personal information about you without your direct consent or without a court order.   Although this isn’t strictly followed by all Online business or organization.   In order for ANY ATM To disclose your location of the ATM you are at or even your financial information would be against the Privacy Act!

Terms of Service would be need to updated!

All banks would have to change their TOS just to cover their butts in case something would go wrong.  You would see bank after bank making sure you knew about the changes in their services when it comes to ATMS!  This would be one of the requirements to be able to do this!   

The Algorithm!

Let’s face it if this software was available, it would be a screaming security nitemare!  Every bank uses their own Algorithm and HASH in association with each account.   In order for an ATM to give out money from any institution it would be required to provide the currect security code which would be the PIN code.   So the bank would have to create both front door passcode(PIN NUMBER) and a back door passcord(Reverse pin number) to access your personal information and also what money you have on your account.   This two PIN approach would make your account much easier to hack and or guess your pin, if implemented!  Since the ATM would not know which pin is correct until it connected with the bank server, it would not know if the pin entered is correct or reversed until the bank granted access and thus it would be impossible to implement this!!

Safety and Such!

It would just cause more problems than it is worth.   Just think if you had to put in your pin in reverse wouldn’t it be more trouble and possibly cause more violence than it would solve.   I know I have ADHD and I wouldn’t be able to do it very easily.   If the robber wants the money he will get impatient and maybe even hurt the victim even more.   This is why it will never be implemented because in the long run.   It doesn’t stop violence or death it just is more inconvenience than anything.   Think about how long it would be before the police actually got to that ATM.  On average it takes 20 mins just where I live and I know the robber won’t stay their very long if at all!  Once he gets what he wants, your either dead or very lucky!   Just some stuff to think about!

Paul Sylvester

Touched by an Angel: The inspirational Series that will move you!

Paul

Touched By an Angel is Owned by CBS.COM

Inspirational Series!

It started in 1994 a series that no one would believe it would be so successful. When I started watching this series, I was intrigued by this series.   I heard of Della Reese, when I was a few years before this series even started.   I must admit this series had some great guest stars such as Randy Travis,  Delta Burke, Louis Gossett Jr., Wynonna Judd, Gerald McRaney and Many More!  

The premise behind the series was something you really never really heard on TV in those times.   The one thing that kept me coming back on every episode was the fact that “God Loves me!”  It wasn’t often I would not cry or tear up after every episodel  

It ended after 9 Seasons!

It ended with the last 2 episodes that were call “I’ll walk with you (Party 1 and Part 2)” it is for the song that is played at the beginning of each episode “Walk with you!”.   Again another great inspirational song for those who may want to know they are not alone and that someone whether Human or supernatural is always by your side.

Family Friendly series!

Although there are times when you will see the Death Angel (John Dye) and some death.   The show never showed death as being over gross or bloody.   It showed how we all die and even then why we die.   It is something that we all deal with because it inevitable of it all!  

I recommend this to all!

After watching all the series for a lifetime I still recommend this series to all my friends and family.   Roma Downey was something to take a ride with in the series.   She was a joy to watch and see her develop as an Angel in the series.   We just don’t know that we have angels all over whether we know it or not! 

The Series is being released and you can buy some of the seasons now!

When the other seasons are released you will find them listed here.  I hope you go buy this and enjoy it as much as I do each and every time I watch these seasons every chance I get.  Nothing is forever but at least you can remember those days!

Paul Sylvester

April is Autism Awareness Month: How you can help!

Paul

 Autism Facts!

Autism now affects 1 in 88 children and 1 in 54 boys

Autism is the fastest-growing serious developmental disability in the U.S.

Boys are nearly five times more likely than girls to have autism

Autism receives less than 5% of the research funding of many less prevalent childhood diseases

As you can see these are just a few facts that you may of not known about.   I got these facts from Autismspeaks.org.  

I went to a meeting this weekend and I saw a young girl who I knew had something wrong with her.   I couldn’t know for sure.   I know the father very well he is in my international Club, Starfleet Command.   I even know he does a great Fundrasing event for the month of April!  We discussed this in lengths and he told me about how much money he is looking to raise.  I told him, everything is possible to possibly help his Daughter and help others who might need the help with Autism.  So I am wanted to share a few resources and places you can go to help with Donating your money or showing support for the cause!

http://www.trektoy.com — does a great job at making an effort and giving people a chance to give out some really nice prop gifts from the movies and shows of Star Trek!  The Owner I know, and you now know him!

Cafepress — has two ways you can raise awareness and/donate to the cause.   You can buy the Autism Gift ideas T-shirts, and items .  You can always buy Starfleet Command and Star Trek items (ALL profits from the sales at this store are donated to Autism research) from our Cafepress page.  

Amazon — Has some great ways to show awareness to your community about either your child or someone you may know.   Most of the items are really cheap.   From Magnets for your car to wrist bracelets! If you are trying to learn more about Autism, You can find some great books about Autism and Asperger Syndrome on Amazon also.

What is Autism?

I am sure before I leave I have a few people ask me this question.   So I will answer it now:

Autism is a developmental disorder that appears in the first 3 years of life, and affects the brain’s normal development of social and communication skills.

You can find out more about it from the National Library of Medicine.  I want to help my friend fundraise and thus this post is to help him get more people to donate items and money to his cause.   Please consider donating an item or donating money for his cause.   

Thank You!

Paul Sylvester

So you Want more gadget reviews and All that!

Paul

After reviewing the emails and Surveys!

I’ve went over the Survey that some of you actually did and I got a big response of people who would like more blog posts about gadgets!.  Here is my situation on this, I am a single divorced father of 2 kids and working 40 plus hours at a dead end job just to provide for my family.   So you will have to help by either donating gift cards to my cause or buying from my affiliate links and other such stuff.   I am barely making enough money to pay for this blog.  

How you can help!

I will provide you a few ways to help get me those gadgets you want so eagerly for me talk about.  Here are a few ways:

I must say this for legal reasons, Any and all those links are revenue generating for me. If you buy anything using those links you are granting permission for me to get a commission from it!  The Are Affiliate Links and banners, so use them to support my blog and I would be able to afford to buy those really good gadgets to look at and play around with!

On a Side Note, From now on my own site now has it’s own url shortner domain (urlptt.com).   Thanks to Bit.ly for helping me set this up.   Anyone who shortens my website with bit.ly should now see that bit.ly instead of bitly.com url!  Please remember to support my site and my efforts!

Paul Sylvester