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."
http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/WEBONLY/publicfeature / un02/nixi.html
This second paragraph makes a very good point. In fact, at many of the retailers near me, you don't even have to hand them the credit card, you can just swipe it yourself.
My boss often gives me his credit card to make purchases. The only time I've ever been asked was when I was trying to write his name on the slip. I usually just sign my own name and they hand the card right back. I've even used several ladies cards and never been asked. And I know I don't look like a Kimberly!!
Oh well, at least most cards have a zero-liability guarantee for unauthorized charges.
--Jason
"If at first you don't succeed, erase all evidence that you tried!"
If you really want to be safe, get rid of your credit cards. Use debit cards.
Whoa there buddy. Back the truck up some.
Credit cards have laws protecting holders against fraudulant charges up to $50 dollars (I think.) Debit cards just allow the thieves direct access to your personal savings without limit. Sure, you can contest the charges, but it's a hell of a time to get the money back.
At least with credit cards, you can contest the charges BEFORE your money's missing.
I worked for Best Buy for almost a year. I was a salesperson in the computers department for about 4 months and then I transfered to the service desk. Working there was a truely eye opening experience. I had no idea the retail business was such a sham! Some examples:
1) The sales people don't know squat... everyone already knows this, so I won't spend any more time discussing it.
2) In Best Buy land, Performance Service Plans (PSPs) are the most important aspect of a sale. For those that don't know, the PSP is the extended warranty. As a salesperson there, you are under EXTREME pressure to sell as many PSPs as possible. Raises, good treatment, etc. all go to the people that sell the most PSPs.
3) Often times, managers will encourage employees to pretend that an item is out of stock in order to prevent a sale when the customer expressed their intention to NOT buy a PSP.
4) Some salespeople will encourage customers to shop elsewhere if they aren't intending to buy a PSP. This includes both other Best Buy stores and competitors. Since stores are ranked based on PSP sales (as a percentage of total sales), it benefits one store to have a non-PSP buying customer buy from a different Best Buy.
5) Some salespeople will flat out lie in order to sell a PSP. Telling customers that the PSP covers more than it actually does is very common.
6) The sale of accesories along with a PC/TV/Stereo makes the company WAY more money than the sale of the actual product. Keep this in mind. The stores are also ranked on this number. Once a manager tried to convince me to buy 2 of our most expensive UPS systems at our store and then return them at a different store. This would have greatly boosted our numbers and lowered the other store's.
7) Never bother getting a rain check at a Best Buy, you probably won't get a call back (unless you already have shown interest in a PSP).
8) Never have anything repaired at Best Buy, their repair department is unorganized and over-priced. The people working on your equipment are also usually under-qualified.
In summary... Best Buy is a great store, as long as you don't mind clueless salespeople and being harassed about service plans. Your best bet when buying something there is to tell them you want the service plan, and then change your mind at the register. Customers that want PSPs get good treatment, but once you'r at that register, there's nothing to keep you from not buying it.
Also, be prepared to have a manager speak to you when you decline the service plan. Pleasantly refuse, and you should have no problem getting through.
NOTE: All of the above comments applied to the store I worked at, and many others I've been to. There ARE exceptions though. I know of one "clean" Best Buy in Denver, the manager there is a straight shooter.
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.
/not/ have a right to search you just because you are in their store and their obviously-flawed security gates went off. If you listen, you'll notice that's why they always ask YOUR permission to search you: "Can I have a look through your bag?" Say "no thank you" and keep walking.
Let the record show: you do NOT have to stop and let that thug check your receipt. You have paid for your merchandise, and you are free to leave. They do
If they want to search you without losing a lawsuit, they need to see you pick up some merchandise and then not lose sight of you until you leave the store without paying for it. Anything less than that opens them up to a lawsuit, and THEY KNOW THIS. Just say "no thank you" and be on your way. If they put up a fight just tell them to call the cops if they think they have a case. I've only had that happen to me once at Walgreen's at 3am, and even those dipshits knew they had no right to hold me.
This also goes at Fry's where they check everyone's reciept. I've found the exit-door employees are actually much, much nicer when you say "no thank you!" politely when they ask to see your receipt. They all know that there's nothing they can do to you and generally will say "okay, thanks for coming in, have a nice day!" or something similar, which is a lot more than I get normally.
Most likely negligible. An efficient system wouldn't put magnetic fields into the passenger compartment--it would be a waste. I wager anything that leaks can be blocked by a fairly thin ferro-magnetic shield.
For all intensive purposes, "whom" is no longer a word. That begs the question, "who cares"?
Almost right. If I remember correctly, debit cards make the owner liable for the first 500$ stolen. Credit cards make the owner liable for the first 50$ stolen.
s /cnsprg 98/crook.html
You have a lot more to risk with a debit card.
Details here:
http://www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/new