Slashdot Mirror
Slashback: Livermore, Privacy, Nixieness
Fancy titles attract bigger budgets. SeanAhern writes: "Following up on last week's Slashdot article about LLNL's role in the new Department of Homeland Security, it turns out that LLNL will not change its role or change hands. Instead, LLNL may become a 'center for excellence,' essentially taking on a research role for the new Department. More information can be found in a couple of articles around the press."
Why not just shout it cashier-to-cashier? jqcoffey writes: "A while ago it was discovered that Best Buy was using wireless LANs to transmit cash register data back to accounting servers. The problem was it was UN-encrypted data. They turned them off for a while and now, according to this Computerworld story, they are back on."
Maglev for the Maglevians! LighthouseJ writes: "The Hampton Roads Virginia paper, the Pilot recently reported that my current school, Old Dominion University, recently installed the very first maglev train in the United States on the elevated track already built the previous school year. This train won't go that fast (40 mph) compared to the bullet trains that travel at 300 mph, but at the same token, it won't be traveling that far. The service has been scheduled to start September 1st.
There is some information I have about the maglev that's not mentioned. First, the school is in a rectangle, with the maglev built in the center length-wise. It connects the main campus with the new construction happening across the major road, Hampton Rd and has 3 stations planned now with more to come as the track may extend in the future. They are building more housing, education and meeting places, and the maglev will facilitate safe transportation across that road for students and faculty."
Can this really be the first Mag-lev train in the U.S.? A nifty project regardless.
When a Rolex just isn't good enough. fixitsan2 writes: "I know this thread has been gone over before, when it appeared at the start of February, but ironically, about the same time as the thread ended a group was started on Yahoo!. Not only was it a fast-growing newsgroup, but the technical standard is extremely high. Covering all aspects of building nixie tube clocks as well as other nixie devices including safe power generation, and all display methods from direct drive to multiplexing, as well as lots of circuits and tube sources.
A quick look at the welcome page will give you a fuller idea of what gets discussed."
Check it out here
If it's down, then it's probably been slashdotted.
http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/WEBONLY/publicfeature / un02/nixi.html
That makes me really, really glad that I refuse to sign Best Buy's electronic signature pads and tell them to let me sign paper instead.
I know about the arguments that claim that it's just as easy to steal a receipt or carbons, but making it as easy as pulling up front with a wireless card? No, thanks. And yes, I do shred my receipts when I'm done with them.
"It is our blasphemy which has made us great, and will sustain us, and which the gods secretly admire in us." - Zelazny
We don't have bestbuy her (UK), but from all their problems, its a wonder people still shop there
I'm anispeptic, frasmotic, even compunctuous to have caused you such pericombobulation.
When we get Shenmue 2 state site, or for anyone who has played the Japanese or European versions, take a look at the numeric display in the elevators. It appears to simulate Nixie tubes.
I was amazed when my friend showed me all of the places that have unsecured networks. For example, the FedEx building next door to where he works has such a powerful broadcast that if you stand by a window in his office, you can pick up their network.
A simple drive around town, and you can pick up 15 to 20 unencrypted and unsecured networks. Not to mention all of the ones that use cheesy WEP encryption that is really not that hard to break. When are people gonna learn...?
--Jason
"I used to have a sig, but it took up too much space so I got rid of it!"
It was posted earlier this week. Look before you talk.
They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty nor security
That was a different story.
I wish there was a Maglev in Boston... grr, the T sucks. It even stops for cars and traffic lights on the green line! Does anyone else know of a subway that ass backwards? Maglev would sure speed up my trip from Allston to Back Bay...
Tibbon
tibbon.com
I bought an etched board from one site for $25 and found a piece of equipment sitting out for the trash at the local university which had 6 nixies complete with sockets. About $20 in parts from digikey and I was in business. As long as the power company can keep a good 60hz sinewave the clock should be accurate. The only issue with nixies is they do have a finite lifespan like all neon lamps. Keep the current draw as low as you can to make them last longer. Eventually the glass will turn black and the digits will flicker and get dim.
Only the State obtains its revenue by coercion. - Murray Rothbard
so is that data not encrypted, or is encrypted by the evil socialist conspiricy that is the United Nations?
It appears that you are full of shit, and it is exactly the same story here. The same company (ISS), and the same observation that their "patch" doesn't fix the problem.
The MSNBC article is typically light on details, but it certainly appears to be exactly what Slashdot reported.
-------------------------
A person of moderate zeal
What are you talking about? That's not the same article! Jesus. Read them both before slamming me...
to snoop some names and stuff from the transmissions? You're not bypassing any security features...
I think the way to deal with this is to come up with a big list of what people have bought at these places, print them out, and mail them to the CEO saying "you might want to fix this."
A few months ago I went to Best Try's site at 4 in the afternoon to be greeded by a "running maintainance" page. Ever since then I've had the feeling their tech support people we inept.
This should not suprise me, as I have yet to have a good experience in their store. The salespeople are, and look, clueless. I have thown them for a loop too many times with questions like "how much does the item in the end isle display cost, there is no tag". I have never waited in line there less than 10 minutes, and the "anti-theft" thing goes off every 10 people or so; the guy with who looks like a thug (who's polo shirt doesn't fit) then has to check reciepts. It is all just a ploy to eliminate shoplifting, like the very visible camera monitor you have to walk around to get into the store. The place is run like the don't trust any of their customers. Not a place that makes you feel welcome.
It short, it is auwful. If there was another major electronics store in the area (closest "equal" class competitor is an hour away) they would not get any of my business.
I aviod them at every opportunity. Too bas they are the only place I can find certain items around here.
-Pete
Soccer Goal Plans
Dude you were ripped off.
Next time you meta-moderate make sure you moderate any trolls that should be offtopic as "unfair".
"The company does, however, use wireless LANs for inventory and stocking operations. " I have worked at three different retail companies: Sears, Staples, and Target. Each one of those companies uses a wireless lan for inventory scanners. I'm sure my experience is not coincidence. What point is the author trying to make there?
Sorry timothy, but hemos got first post(ed story) on you about those trains. ;)
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Oh bother.
I've always wondered what magnetic fields strong enough to levitate a train do to the watches, hearing aids, and pacemakers of passengers?
A guy I work with occasionally sets up a rig in his car and drives all over the Tidewater/Hampton Roads region and even up to the DC area and so far has logged over 700 access points. He used to list which ones were secured and unsecured (it was about 50/50 a few months ago), but it looks like he took that info off of his site. I don't blame him.
http://www.vawifi.com/
The scary part is, stores like Lowe's Home Improvement, Home Depot, and other commercial businesses were passing credit card numbers in the open. At the locations that were in the open, he would get on the internet and update his site in real-time. Makes you realize how ignorant some users are with their computers...
In future all credit card numbers are to be encrypted with Rot 13, which is particularly secure for numbers ;-)
James
What are you talking about? That's not the same article! Jesus. Read them both before slamming me...
./ put the same story up over and over if a bunch of different web sites cover it? Your initial snarky comment implied that ./ editors wouldn't put the subject up on the front page because they love open source projects like apache and wouldn't print negative stories about them. Yet they did exactly that, and they did it before you even started up your bitching.
It is not the same MSNBC article, but it is the same vulnerability, with more technical details. Should
Best Buy's worst practices for data security
*Comic Book Guy* Worst practices ever!
I pledge allegiance to the flag...
of the Corporate States of America...
WVU has had the PRT for a donkey's age. Sure it doesn't float, but it got my drunken ass around campus, to and from football games, and out to tutor engineers with ease.
Truly neat stuff.
Of course, getting stuck on one packed with students on a hot day sucked, but that's what deodorant is for anyway...
Its the same reason people shop at Fry's or anywhere else -- when you balance the equation of convenience, location, price, selection, staff, policies, and so on, for many things it balances out to be pretty much the best option, sometimes the only option.
I try to avoid it if I can, even going to more upscale shops, but even when customer service isn't Best Buy Awful, they're still ingratiating college drop outs who are just training for the big league of automobile and photocopier sales.
Hey I saw an article on how to make a rail gun out of a ruler, a couple of strong magnets and some pinball balls. I'm too lazy to do a search just wanted to say I saw it somewhere, more than likely here.
The maglev train is a good thing for ODU as the school is just to close to downtown Norfolk for comfort. Something like this might have kept me from getting my bike stolen and spared me the "enlightened comments" from the campus police as we drove around the more shady sections looking for it. On the plus side, my renter's insurance paid for a brand new bike, even better than the one that was stolen!
Drive to your nearest Best Buy and change the price of the GeForces to $0!!!
Humorously,
--pi
To go with all the other best buy bashing, they're also guilty (IANAL, but IMHO) of false advertising.
;)
Just go in and say you want to try the new XYZ video
game that's only for PC before you buy. Heh. Tell them you want to try that new audio cd, dvd, electric razor, george forman grill, or any of a number of other products.
Or just do it without asking.. Then watch yourself get banned from the store. I hate false advertising.
Well, I have pondered over whether the Hall effect has any meaningful effect on nerves and neurons.
Now, it may not have been due to that, but there was something on TV where they were investigating why people feel places are haunted. They found that many such places had relatively high magnetic fields, and in investigating further, they got volunteers to sit in the laboratory and wear these helmets with big magnets in them. No, I'm not making this up! Anyway, the victims^H^H^H^H^H^H^Hvolunteers reported feeling extremely scared and sensing "evil presences" and stuff of that nature.
It is worth remembering though, that they were supposed to be pretty powerful magnetic fields, and right around their heads. Also, I don't remember whether they were supposed to be alternating fields (but I'm fairly sure they weren't), if so then it would have been plain old induction (but that would presumably have fried their brains??).
*--I Am Not A Physicist either. So that definition may well be wrong in some way. I take no responsibility for accuracy of any of this stuff whatsoever.Not none.
Be careful! New moon tonight.
We're twice as smart as the people of Shelbyville.
Just tell us your idea, and we'll vote for it!
-- Mayor Quimby, Simpsons Episode: <A HREF="http://www.snpp.com/episodes/9F10.html">` `Marge vs. the Monorail''</A>
http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=02/06/14/173923 9&mode=thread&tid=103
I've yet to have a problem with them, their salespeople (Who seem more clued in than the rest of the chain stores in regards to technical matters. They understood that Linux wasn't some guy with a blue blanket.), or anything else there.
I suppose I shouldn't expect much from the people who ran around screaming about 'pre-ordering a GF4 before they fix their price!'. Yeah, fsck the corps, yadda yadda yadda.
And pointing this out to slashdot, you just ensured it won't stay that way for very long.
The Black Mesa Federal Research Facility had a maglev train, at least, until it was destroyed by aliens from planet Xen.
Naturally, I received a response saying that "the store said that this did not happen." I haven't shopped there since.
December 26, 2001
Richard M. Schultze
Chairman & CEO
Best Buy Co., Inc.
7075 Flying Cloud Drive
Eden Prairie, MN 55344
Cc: Allen Lenzmeier
President
Best Buy Retail Stores
Dear Mr. Schultze,
I am writing you in regards to the events that took place today, December 26, 2001, at Best Buy #516 (Alpharetta, GA). First I would like to mention that I don't usually write letters to executives such as you concerning the conduct of low-level employees, but I felt that the events that occurred today warranted such action.
I received two $25 gift cards for Christmas this year, and went to visit my local Best Buy to redeem them. I purchased several DVD movies, as well as a computer cable. My total, after the gift cards were applied, was approximately $65. To my knowledge, retail companies issue gift cards not only for the assurance of a future purchase but also in the hope the customer will purchase other merchandise beyond the amount to be redeemed. I did exactly this with no reservations and came away pleased with my purchase.
As I am sure you can imagine, the store was an absolute zoo due to the holiday season, and the lines at the registers where backed up across the central aisle and spilled over into the music section. As I was exiting the store another customer about seven feet ahead of me set off the alarm, I, however, continued through and as the alarm did not activate so of course I felt that there was no reason to remain on the premises. At that time, a loss prevention employee ran out of the store and demanded to see my receipt. This particular employee, whose nametag read Josh, has in the past demanded I show him my receipt a good majority of the times he is on duty heedless of what I had just purchased and without the reasonable doubt that activating the security gates may imply. Out of these dozen or more "checks," this employee has not once found anything but the items listed on the receipt inside of my bag. Such dogged persistence to search my purchases with no justifiable reason has made it difficult to interact with him not only as an employee but as a person as well.
Today, I had just waited 20 minutes to check out, and another 10 minutes for the clerk to locate the BestBuy.com order I was picking up; I was in no mood to be made to wait a third time. Knowing that there was no reason whatsoever for the employee to continue to subject me to such scrutiny, I chose rather to inform him that I was leaving instead of submitting once again to his suspicions and started walking off towards my car. He continued to pursue me, at which point I became upset that this harassment was still taking place. Rather than maintain a civilized approach to the situation he proceeded to stand in front of my path and grab at my bag. After "bumping" me with his chest and pushing me with his hands a verbal confrontation ensued, during which the employee stated to me "Why don't you go fuck yourself". Following this, I was trying my best to simply escape the situation, since I knew that if he continued to markedly provoke me in this manner, I might lose my temper. That was the last thing I wanted to happen; especially in light of the fact that it was the day after Christmas and I simply wished to enjoy my day off from work with my younger brother. He can independently verify my account if you deem it necessary.
As I was trying to leave, the employee grabbed my shopping bag and refused to release it. In accordance with my desire to avoid any further escalation, I was able to forcibly regain the bag by pulling it out of his hands. By this time, a store manager and several other employees began to approach us in the parking lot. Seeing as none of them had witnessed the event or the actions of the employee, I turned and began to walk to my car, rather than have the confrontation continue with more accusations and yelling. As I was leaving "Josh" continued to yell after me, and the manager called me an "asshole" behind my back before telling me to "never come back." There is simply no excuse for this type of behavior from any retail employee, and certainly not from a Best Buy employee.
In order to demonstrate the extent of my patronage, I have included several documents. First, I have attached a report generated from my Microsoft Money file that details all of the purchases I have made since August using my debit card. According to the report, this total is just over $2,000. Since I only use my debit card about 50% of the time, I have included copies of a number of receipts that I have just been able to locate from around my apartment. As you can see, I am a frequent shopper, and I make multiple purchases per week at your Alpharetta location. I stop by almost every Tuesday to purchase the newly released DVD movies that have recently been made available to the public. As a matter of fact, this is the reason I went shopping in your store today... to pickup a movie I had ordered from BestBuy.com as well as two others that I wished to purchase. The statement the manager made to me that I should "never come back" is disappointing to me.
I know that as an executive, you have many priorities that occupy your time, but I felt that this situation is of such magnitude that it demands the attention of yourself or someone who is directly involved at a district level.
I hope you are able to use this information to improve your customer service, and in through that customer service, improve the customer relationships that are so important for Best Buy to continue to succeed in the marketplace. Thank you for your attention to this matter and for your time. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on how this situation can be resolved.
Regards,
....
At least they are not wiring it with coal (or Coke)
It's been over 10 years since I went to disney world, but don't they have a maglev train in "tomorrowland"?
Hello? I was trolling your asses! You understand now? Good...
YHBT. YHL. HAND.
Coalition for Good, Unobvious Trolls
C-GUT
laf, I really need 2 know wot in ze fok u r tok bowet!!!!!!!! sak is a fuker heh
FUK u rofl
If a store employee runs out after you and physically grabs your purchase out of your hands, an appropriate response would be to open your mouth and start yelling "HELP! POLICE! I'M BEING ASSAULTED AND ROBBED! HELP! POLICE!" as loudly as you possibly can, while pointing at the employee.
I guarantee you that:
1) This will get the attention of everyone within hearing range, who will all stop to stare at the altercation. That generally will make the employee pretty damn uncomfortable with what they're doing, although of course they will try to act like you're some kind of lunatic. Knowing that everyone is watching will, however, force them to adhere to some minimal standard of decent behavior.
2) This suddenly puts a whole different spin on how the store has to handle the situation: instead of being on the offensive, claiming you're some kind of bad customer, they're on the defensive, trying to fend off the accusation that their employees assault their customers.
Although, to be honest, any employee who physically grabs my shopping bag out of my hands is in danger of being hit: That *is* assault around here, and I *do* have the right to defend myself, and if they actually physically fought a bag out of my hands I would be likely to defend myself before stopping to consider the situation.
That's the danger of such employees: they pick on the wrong person and they may find that they've chosen to assault someone who has faster self-defense reflexes, suddenly the police are involved, and it won't be the customer who gets arrested and sued.
Now that the store has told you, "Don't ever come back," make sure to tell all of your friends about it so they know that the store doesn't want people like you as customers, so they obviously must not want any of your friends as customers either.
Other than the coolness factor, I dont understand the advantage of maglev. It surely must take more power to keep those things floating than it takes to overcome rolling resistance for a wheeled train.
If the US government spent as much money on trains
as it spends on commercial airlines, citizens of the
US would have had maglev trains already.
Laurie Bauer, public relations director for Eden Prairie, Minn.-based Best Buy, told Computerworld in an e-mail last night that the company had returned the wireless registers to service after adding additional security measures that she did not identify.
I would think that you could get all of the advantages of maglev at a fraction of the price by using a thin air cushion underneath the train instead of magnetic levitation.
It would certainly make your track cheaper: an air cushion train could run on concrete.
Jon Acheson
All opinions expressed herein are my own, and not those of my employers, who are appalled.
...it's just not a very useful one. The WEDWay PeopleMover in Disney World--now renamed the "Tomorrowland Transit Authority"--isn't called a mag-lev, but as it uses linear induction motors and no wheels, it's a low-speed relative. (And it bears no relation to the PeopleMover that used to be at Disneyland.)
You can't possibly know real public Transit pain until you've tried to get from anywhere to ANYwhere on Atlanta's "MARTA" It's really rather useless. Well, no, it goes to the airport. But that's about it. For a city the size of Atlanta, it's only got two lines. TWO! Supposedly you can get most places by getting off a train and taking buses, but the routes are so convoluted that the one time I tried to use them It took almost as much time as it would have to walk. And on top of all this, it costs $1.75, vs most cities' 50-80cents.
Common sense is what tells us that the world is flat
I had a somewhat similar incident at a Kentucky Fried Chicken, of all places. I bought a $6 meal, handed them $20, and I got $4 in change.
Obviously, the math didn't add up here.
Anyway, I mentioned this to the cashier, who acknowledged the mistake. She couldn't reopen the till to give me my $10, and so she called over a manager. The manager immediately pulled the till, walked into another room out of sight, and returned claiming that I was owed no money. I contacted KFC's customer hotline, reported what had happened, and they said they would respond quickly. I have never heard from them, and I have contacted them several times. No action has occurred.
I don't buy Pepsi products at all now. They don't need any more of my money.
Oh, Boston's isn't useless at all, just odd. The T is just about the only way I will be getting around
Tibbon
tibbon.com
Sorry, had to get that off my chest.
Bleh!