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."
so is that data not encrypted, or is encrypted by the evil socialist conspiricy that is the United Nations?
You also assume that someone is willing to reconstruct your signature into an image from some garbled-looking digital information. And then they have to learn how to copy your signature at least decently (which would be hard to do, because your signature would probably be pretty messy. Have you ever tried writing on those pads? It's a bitch). Which brings me to another point. Do you think those 15 year old cashiers even look at your hand-written signature to see if it is yours? Not likely. So even if someone got a hold of your credit card, they wouldn't need to have parked outside with a 802.11 card and a laptop and sophisticated software to learn your signature...they could just put anything on the dotted line and the cashiers wouldn't blink!
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.
"Let the record show: you do NOT have to stop and let that thug check your receipt."
Yeah!!! Fight the power!! Don't let those guys glance at your receipt! Give 'em hell! It'll only ruin the nice man's day and add conflict you wouldn't normally have!
"Derp de derp."
The Black Mesa Federal Research Facility had a maglev train, at least, until it was destroyed by aliens from planet Xen.