DarkStar Spouts Off

Net Neutrality: Give Them Enough Rope

Republican politicians who support the anti-net neutrality ruling are either technology idiots or their votes have been paid for by the Internet backbone companies or both. This is what I see happening.

Verizon will go to Google and say, "YouTube traffic is 30% of our back bone and last mile traffic. We are requiring that you pay us extra or we will reduce the YouTube bandwidth over our back bone by 20%."

But check this out it won't stop there.

Verizon will go to their users and say, "Your home usage indicates you streams movies from NetFlix or Amazon that is 20% of your Internet traffic. This puts you in our high use category. As a high use customer, we will add a high use fee to your service. BTW, if you use our FIOS package, on demand services won't count against your network usage."

Then they'll go to Netflix and say a similar thing they said to YouTube. Then Netflix will send you a letter telling you they have raised your rates.

This ruling stinks.

Steve Jobs: Disruptor and Capitalist

Steve Jobs was a technology disruptor.

The Apple computer was the anti-PC PC. Starting from the beginning, the style of the Apple was anti-geek. He and his company tried to make the Apple stylish, and for its time, it was definitely stylish and the user interface over the operating system was, and still is, advanced and far ahead of the major competitor for the personal computer market. Today, if you notice the major pc vendors are selling "all-in-one" computers that try to copy the iMac.

People are talking about the iPod and how it revolutionized how people listen to music. It was, and is, a technology distruptor. Instead of boxes and racks full of alblums and cassettes and CD cases, we have disks full of music that gets put on an iPod device for carrying around.

And the iPhone totally revolutionized the "smart phone" market. Single handedly, the iPhone has crushed the market share for RIM Blackberry and has brought the email and "mobile computing" market to the masses.

I can't forget about Pixar, which created entertaining and advanced animation movies. It did so well that Disney, considered to be animation company, brought it to learn from them AND to gain movie market share.

All of these were disruptors to the current technology and business market. The iPod has helped to change the music industry for better or worse. The animation you see now in the movies is really top notch. Would "Avatar" be possible without Pixar? Would the smart phone market be what it is, today, without the driving force of the iPhone?

And how many businesses would not be around, today, because of the disruption Apple, led by Steve Jobs, caused in the technology and entertainment markets? Just consider all of the smart phone app makers and the companies needed to push and stream all of the data to your smart phone. That's where the capitalism comes in. That's how one company and spawn multiple companies and cause wealth to be created and spread. That's how one company can force older companies to innovate or be squashed under the competition.

And, frankly, I think the NeXT operating system was WAY ahead of the pack.

RIP, Steve Jobs

Bank Of America Under Cyber-Attack?

It is being reported that the Bank of America web site is running
slowly. I wonder if they are under cyber-attack.

Doomsday: Prequel II

Rod is in the toll caused backup on I-95. Two years ago, he would have
bypassed this by using the EZ Pass lane, but one year and 11 months
ago, he discovered his identity had been stolen, and one year and 11
months later, he is still trying to get it straightened out.

One year and 11 months ago, Rod rolled past the toll with his EZ Pass
in the window. He thinks, in less than 5 minutes later, he is out of
the car, on the ground, surrounded by police officers with guns drawn.
Once in the police station, he learned that "he" had rented a car,
robbed two banks, and was on the run from authorities. He was in jail
for 3 days before his wife was able to convince police and prosecutors
that Rod was not in the area of the robberies, didn't look like the
picture taken of the robber, and that Rod's identity had been stolen.

Even though the EZ pass was convenient, he canceled the account.
Unfortunately, all of his financial accounts had to be frozen while
the mess was worked out. It took 3 months before the accounts were
unlocked and he was able to get new accounts. He had to get loans from
family members to pay some bills while the financial mess was being
resolved. The bank that holds his mortgage still has not updated his
credit report correctly, despite filings with the state and financial
regulators and hiring a lawyer.

Since then, he has decided to go "off the grid" as much as possible.
He and his wife don't do financial transactions on-line anymore. After
getting new social security numbers, they also got individual tax
identification numbers that are used when they are forced give a SSN
for some purpose. But they found out that when you push back against
giving your social security number, 9 out of 10 people don't press the
matter.

During this time, Rod has become a part of the underground barter
network. He has been able to barter his computer skills and his
handyman skills to learn how to butcher wild game. The local butcher
needed help with his computer system and Rod bartered his expertise
for lessons on butchering game. Rod also has learned how to hunt deer
and wild fowl. He already knew how to fish, and enjoyed it, so he
feels confident that if the world goes to hell, he could keep his
family fed.

Rod's wife, Pam, doesn't like it, but Rod is now a gun owner. During
the time the bank accounts were frozen, Pam feared they would have to
do something drastic to keep food in the house. She thought about
shoplifting! So, Pam sees this as a way to have a back up if something
happens. She's not as far into the apocalypse scenario as Rod, but she
has been through enough to worry.

As Rod gets closer to the toll booth, he makes sure the pouch on the
dashboard and the pouch on the ceiling, are within easy reach. Rod had
placed documentation of his identity theft, the arrest and release,
and any other documentation he thinks is needed in case he gets
stopped by police again, for being a bank robber.

Doomsday: Prequel

Prequel

Facebook continues to get people to place all of their personal
information into their "database." In one of the many changes that
Facebook makes, Facebook says they will start to sell AGGREGATED
information to those who want it. People will assume it is about them,
only, but what they don't realize is Facebook has already created
enormous relationship graphs, not just of people who "know" other
people, but of married couples, couples in relationships, those who
say they are family members, etc. They also create graphs based on the
common names people create for their "personal lists."

How many people have, say, "Fam" as a list, or "bootie calls" as a
list or...? How many "pages" to people "like"? How many are associated
with churches, businesses, personalities, causes, diseases, sports,
television shows, etc? There will be an uproar but the graphs are
created or are able to be created at the push of a graphics button.

And how many pictures have you tagged? You already know Facebook has
basic facial recognition software that is accurate enough.

Wow. Did you like a financial company? Why would you like a financial
company if you are not a customer?

Do you think your deleted page really is deleted?

So they sell the aggregated data or the "analytics" that Facebook
created to derive the information you want. But they also provide the
API that lets you plug in your own analytics, and although the data is
supposed to be anonymized, there are bugs, and face it, Facebook gets
hacked.

Meanwhile, for years, financial institutions have been getting hacked
for information and money and have paid ransoms to cyber-thieves to
"get information back." We all know your credit card has been
compromised because the credit card processing middleman was hacked.
And those Linux systems that are all over the Internet? A major Linux
software repository has been hacked and has yet to come back on-line
because analysis is still begin done to determine what code was
compromised.

Meanwhile, all of the anti-virus vendors have code that "phones home"
for updates and uploads computer architecture and usage information.
Kapersky anti-virus, a major AV maker today, was created by a former
KGB agent. Did you install just an anti-virus system or are you now
one node in a Bot Net?

And then one day, someone has enough of Goldman Sachs and pays a cyber
team to awaken the bots...

What's Taken So Long? Isn't The U.S. THE Tech Leader?

What's taken so long for a service like Google Wallet? Isn't the U.S. supposed to be the technology leader? This has been available in Asia, just, like,.... FOREVER!!!!!

A Very "Simple" Cyber Conundrum

Here is a simple cyber and political conundrum...

If, as the Pentagon now says, a cyber attack is to be considered an act of war:

WASHINGTON—The Pentagon has concluded that computer sabotage coming from another country can constitute an act of war, a finding that for the first time opens the door for the U.S. to respond using
traditional military force.

How does the United States now handle China?

GPS

While I'm taking a break from "do list" duties, here's my thought on Google and Apple phones caching GPS locations and then sending it back to Google and Apple, respectively.

You gave them permission to do it and you take advantage of it, so what's the big deal?

Many people use the applications that allow them to "check in" to locations where they can then get store specific discounts and/or use applications that let others know where they are, or use applications that let friends know their specific location when they are going to meet someplace and/or use GPS direction applications.

When I got the Droid Incredible, the first thing I did was turn of GPS location applications and disabled the picture geo-tagging ability. But, months later, I turned GPS back on to use Google Maps for driving directions. I matched the directions given by Google Maps to the directions given by my car's built in GPS capability. Google Maps was better AND provided visual indicators of backed up traffic along the route. The only way the near real-time traffic conditions update can be given is if your telephone is giving out GPS locations along the way and then on the back end system, the system is calculating average speed of your telephone and others in the area.

So, I don't see it as a big deal. If you don't like it, turn it off. It's always a good idea to turn off geo-tagging of pictures so no one can obtain the location of your activities. That reduces the risk of crimes against you or your family based on "Internet snooping".

 

The Cloud Is Dead

When Microsoft is running  commercials about the cloud, and the commercials are targeted towards home users, you know "the cloud" is over hyped and probably dead.

Honda Hybrid Batteries, Suck...

That's the title I'd give the article, along with the subtitle "Honda Hides the Facts".

When Honda Motor Co. rolled out its latest-generation Civic Hybrid, it was sold as the automaker's green car of the future.

But five years into production, Honda has discovered that its high-tech batteries can die years early — a potentially expensive flaw that the automaker has been addressing with a software update that many owners claim has made the car less environmentally friendly.

Jason Marchesano, a computer consultant from Overland Park, Kan., said the battery in his 2007 Civic Hybrid started losing its ability to hold a charge last year. Rather than replace the battery, which was under warranty, Honda loaded a software program into the car's computer that he said made the car sluggish and slashed the vehicle's gas mileage.

When he complained again several weeks ago, Honda installed a second software update, cutting efficiency further. Today, he gets 33 mpg, compared with 45 mpg when the car was new.

Marchesano and other hybrid owners fear that Honda has decided to sacrifice their vehicles' performance in order to avoid the huge cost of replacing thousands of faulty batteries, which are still under eight- or 10-year warranties and cost as much as $3,000 each to replace.

I'm just saying, again, that hybrids, with their advanced batteries, aren't all that they are claimed to be. There is still that nasty factor of how these batteries will be disposed of, and that goes for CFL lights as well.

AT&T Gives Verizon and Android More Business

Just give Verizon and Android more money.

NEW YORK (AP) -- In time for the widely expected launch of a new iPhone model, carrier AT&T Inc. is pulling in the reins on data usage by its customers with smart phones and iPads.The sole U.S. carrier of the iPhone is introducing two new data plans, starting June 7, with limits on data consumption. They'll replace the $30 per month plan with unlimited usage that it has required for all smart phones, including the iPhone.

With the change AT&T is adopting a carrot-and-stick approach to assuage the data congestion on its network,which has been a source of complaints, especially in cities such as New York and San Francisco that are thick with iPhone users. The new plans will take effect just as Apple is expected to unveil the next generation of its iPhone at an event Monday in San Francisco.

For the sake of their network, I understand the data caps. But this will not be seen this way by consumers.

Tech Shorts

• After a weekend of giving my new HTC Incredible a decent work out, I've decided the Incredible, IS.
• The Seagate BlackArmor NAS is a nice networked backup hard drive. If you need a backup system for Windows or Mac, check it out.
• I have seen the iPad, AND I LIKE!!!!!! I bet you it finds an immediate home in the kitchen.

Android Apps

I think I'm going to get an Android cell phone. What are the top 5 apps?

Why Tax Me When Your Software Is An Infected Wound

I saw this on InfoWorld:

How will we ever get a leg up on hackers who are infecting computers worldwide? Microsoft's security chief laid out several suggestions Tuesday, including a possible Internet usage tax to pay for the inspection and quarantine of machines.

Today most hacked PCs run Microsoft's Windows operating system, and the company has invested millions in trying to fight the problem.

If they had a more secure O/S, the problem would not be this bad. So, with that in mind:

So who would foot the bill?

"Maybe markets will make it work," Charney said. But an Internet usage tax might be the way to go. "You could say it's a public safety issue and do it with general taxation," he said.

In other words, Micro$oft has a problem that it wants EVERYONE ELSE to pay to help fix?

How about this?

Everyone go to Linux and Mac?

Question Of The Day: Toyota

If the problem with Toyota is consistent, why aren't all cars of the model having the same problem?

If the problem is with firmware only, then the version number(s) should be known, right?

If the problem is a combination of software and firmware, then the version(s) number(s) of both should be known, right?

Is it a driving pattern?

Is it environmental conditions?

Is it environmental conditions combined with driving patterns?

Something smells. Is it lawyers?

Playing For Keeps

This is an example of playing for keeps.

Personal friends of employees at Google, Adobe and other companies were targeted by hackers in a string of recently disclosed cyberattacks, raising privacy concerns and pointing to a highly sophisticated operation, security experts said.

Cybersecurity experts analysing the attacks said the hackers spied on individuals and used other sophisticated techniques, making them extremely difficult to stop. The disclosures come amid renewed alarm over cybersecurity after Google said it had been the target of a series of cyberattacks from China.

Think about how much information is on the Internet grid. Think about the number of businesses that have been blackmailed by cyber thieves.

This happened just because Google said something, publicly. What else is happening we don't know about?

This is A Problem

Attention all players! Heads UP!!!

Computer hackers this week said they had cracked and published the secret code that protects 80 per cent of the world’s mobile phones. The move will leave more than 3bn people vulnerable to having their calls intercepted, and could force mobile phone operators into a costly upgrade of their networks.

Karsten Nohl, a German encryption expert, said he had organised the hack to demonstrate the weaknesses of the security measures protecting the global system for mobile communication (GSM) and to push mobile operators to improve their systems.

“This shows that existing GSM security is inadequate,” Mr Nohl told an audience of about 600 people at the Chaos Communication Congress in Berlin, a four-day conference of computer hackers.

This could be a real problem.

Next Time, It's A Mac

Windows Vista downloaded an update and, as has been the norm, the update failed.

Yes, it failed AGAIN.

Next time, I'm buying a Mac or Mac Book or Mac Book Pro. Enough of this garbage.

VISTA Updates

I have yet to have an initial successful Microsoft update of Vista since I got this laptop 1 year ago.

This sucks.

Digital TV Switch

Just wait until people make the switch to receiving digital television over the air and realize during bad weather, they will get the "frame freeze".

I have DirecTv because I refuse to get Comcast and FIOS television isn't available in my area, although FIOS internet is available. From my prior experience, I knew that when the hard rainstorm hits, the DirecTv signal is lost. So, I have a digital television antenna that I use for backup. However, just like satallite, when the weather gets bad, you get the "frame freeze" with the digital signal. Yesterday during a bad rainstorm, the signal that stayed around was the analog signal.

Just wait until more people realize what happens with digital signals and the only backup is to get cable.

LG LCD Television Conclusion

In March, I wrote a post saying don't buy an LG LCD television, and I still state the same thing.

Here is a more detailed listing of what happened.

In January I brought the LG LCD television from Circuit City. I registered the television for the warranty, even though I thought that was a waste of time. After all, LG is a "big brand name" and I "knew there would be no problems" with the television.

In February, the television video went black but the audio was still around. We called LG for support and they determined they had to send someone out to look at the television.

A company that handles LG warranty work came out. The serviceman looked at it, called into LG and ordered a video board.

He came out again, installed the video board but LG sent the wrong board.

He came out again, 2 weeks later, installed the video board but it didn't work. He said he was ordering the main controller board.

He came out again and put in the board but that didn't work either.

We called to complain and they said they were going to send someone out again. At this point, that wasn't good enough and we told them so. We wanted our money back. They said that wasn't possible. The warranty states they will replace the television with a refurbished model but they still needed paperwork from the company that did the servicing.

When they called to say they had the paperwork, I answered and said it was now June, and we still do not have a working television. In that time, I told them, that we got a house ready for sale, brought a "new to us" house, sold the other, and refurbished the "new to us house." This started in February and it's now June. A refurbished television was not good enough. I was told that if, AFTER REVIEW(!), we had good grounds, we would get a new television instead of a refurbished model.

Below is what I remember saying:

"I don't want a new LG television, because quite frankly, your televisions stink. When a new model stops working after 1 month, you have quality control issues. Not only that, but I went online and saw your knowledge base which has this issue as the number one issue on the knowledge base under this problem. Next, I went to technical forums and I found out I'm not the only one with this same problem. OBVIOUSLY, your company manufactured a poor product.

"Here's the situation. Maryland has a lemon law that covers cars and products above a certain price. I believe the television is covered under the lemon law that states I have to give you 3 tries to fix the problem before I can request my money back. Your warranty person has been out 4 times, with 3 service fixes that failed.

"If I don't get my money back, I'm going to send a letter, with screen shots of the LG knowledge base and URL and screen shots of the technical forums that show LG has a problem with the televisions, to the Consumer Protection Division of the States Attorney's Office of Maryland. I'm also going to give the gory details of the failed services.

"I happen to be a little tech savvy. I have a blog account that has one more blog that I can create. I will create a blog that gives the details of the LG television, open it up to comments, hunt around for other LG complaints and post it there. The blog will be indexed by Google.

"I also happen to have Pre-Paid Legal, and if necessary I will contact them to see if it can go to another level, including the option of class action lawsuit."

The outcome is, we ship the television back to them, at their expense, and I get the money back, with the taxes paid.

Don't buy an LG television!

If It Costs $5 to Make But Only Sells for $1, Why Make?

My question for the day is, if it takes $5.00 to make a gadget that, last month, was selling for $6.00, but this month is selling for $1.00 because of market forces, would YOU continue to make the gadget? I wouldn't. The same goes for oil exploration:

The number of oil and gas rigs deployed to tap new energy supplies across the country has plunged to less than 1,200 from 2,400 last summer, and energy executives say the drop is accelerating further.

Lower prices are bringing to an end an ambitious effort to squeeze more oil from aging fields and to tap new sources of natural gas. For the last four years, companies here drilled below airports, golf courses, churches and playgrounds in a frantic search for energy. They scoured the Rocky Mountains, the Great Plains, the Gulf of Mexico and Appalachia.

But the economic downturn has cut into demand. Global oil prices and American natural gas prices have plummeted two-thirds since last summer. Not even an unseasonably cold winter drove down unusually high inventories of natural gas.

The drop has been good news for American consumers, with gasoline now selling for $1.92 a gallon, on average, down from a high of $4.11 in July. But the result for companies is that it is becoming unprofitable to drill.

The reversal of fortune could have important implications for the future health of the nation’s energy companies, for consumer wallets and for national aspirations to rely less on foreign energy sources.

The drilling cutback has been particularly stark for natural gas. Gas exploration had soared in recent years after technology advances enabled the exploitation of gas trapped in huge shale beds found around Fort Worth, western Pennsylvania, upstate New York and elsewhere.

But that boom has created such abundant supplies that companies are not only drilling less but also deciding not to pump from wells already drilled.

That's why this isn't surprising to me. And if they kept exploring and drilling, costs would go down making it far more less profitable.

Don't Buy An LG LCD Television

I brought a 32", LG LCD television from Circuit City.

After 1 1/2 months, I have good sound but no picture. This is a common problem from what I am reading.

It's number one in their television knowledge base FAQ.

Windows Vista Woes

Complained to M$.
They sent a robo email letter stating how to fix the problem I had.
Did and and it was fixed.
Now it downloaded the latest updates, but they won't install. I'm stuck in perpetual "Preparing to install..." hell.

May Gate$ home reboot every 15 minutes.