The judge in the case is now dead. I believe he died of natural causes (old age). That being said, I don't think there is much point in revealing his name, but I can say this--He was a Judge in Superior Court in Fairbanks, AK, and was replaced by, oddly enough, my old attorney, the very same one that represented me during all of these restraining orders.
The officers? Doesn't matter--as far as I am concerned the entire Alaska State Troopers office is corrupt. Even their receptionist stonewalled me when I tried to get a copy of the police reports--my attorney had to get them. As soon as they realized that they fucked up huge (by not taking the violators of the restraining orders into custody, and by not even charging them), they immediately set about trying to make ME look like I was at fault. The State Troopers helped those two men ask for, and receive, additional help from the Alaska Office of Victims Rights, who were then used against us as well. The Office of Victims Rights actually violated their own bylaws by representing someone with a criminal record (both of these men had been on probation within three years of asking for representation--an automatic denial of representation, according to their bylaws, yet they still represented them). Interestingly, the Alaska Office of Victims Rights bylaws include a clause that prevent anyone from holding them accountable for ANYTHING they do, even blatant violations of state laws.
Names and Jurisdiction? Alaska...that pretty much covers it. Nice place to visit, but I'm pretty sure the vast majority of the people that live there are fucking nuts, and those that aren't probably cannot afford the plane ticket to get the hell out. Alaska was the worst decision I ever made. The corruption is widespread, and in every sector of life.
I'd love for some asshole in the Alaska State Troopers to try and sue me for these statements--I've saved every single scrap of paperwork and evidence for such a day--and this time, since I no longer live there, they'd be doing so in a court not under their influence. I'd also do my best to get the media involved, with the sole purpose of dragging as many skeletons out of the closet as possible.
Also, I didn't "just leave". Those two assholes actually tried to convince the state to prevent me from leaving, and the Office of Victims rights HELPED them with this. This was the moment I realized the true depth of corruption in Alaska. In court, I asked them how me STAYING in Alaska alleviated the threat they claimed I represented to them--they had no reasonable answer and it became obvious to the Judge (a different one then the one that signed the restraining orders) that they were just trying to harass us. He "let" us go simply because there was no wriggling around what I did my best to make obvious--I was being harassed by not only these two men, but the State as well. I think the Judge realized he would become part and parcel to the harassment if he did anything otherwise, just as I had hoped.
(To be honest, I don't want to publicly release actual names because those names could be used to cross-reference this Slashdot account/Nickname with my real name. I've been victimized by people in the past and do not wish to make it easier for someone to do so in the future, especially those asshole Troopers in Alaska. As is, they could easily use their police powers to figure out who I am, but then they would be abusing those powers and I would most certainly bring that up in court. In short, at this time, anything they did to me would be an abuse of power and they know damn well I'd use that against them--I've learned how to play their game and they know it.)
I've come to the conclusion that the only value a restraining order has is that of convincing a jury that you did everything in your power to prevent further harassment, and that you were well within your rights to blow the fuckers head off.
"The people getting the restraining orders are quite often aggressors rather than victims, or at least are aggressors as well as victims."
This, this, this.
My wife and I once asked for a restraining order against a man and his son (granted, without difficulty). They were pissed when we did so and immediately claimed some bullshit and filed for their own. When I was notified, as a respondent, I didn't contest their claims thinking that two restraining orders would simply be redundant and serve the same purpose--keeping them the fuck away from us. WRONG.
They asked for different restrictions that were used against me, such as requiring me to stay 5000' from their house, when we had only asked for 500'. The problem here is that we lived in the same neighborhood and my house was within 5000' of theirs. They called the cops on me the moment I came home from work and I had to go to court to contest the order they had.
On top of this, a restraining order is only as good as the resolve of the Judge that signed it. Both of those two men later violated the order we had against them (literally chased my wife and daughters at knife point, only to be held off by a total stranger with a 12-guage. (Thank you, if you're reading this!)), witnessed by over a dozen police officers (fuck you, Alaska State Troopers), admitted their guilt in court to the very same judge that signed the violated order...and walked out of that courtroom before I did, free men.
Needless to say, we left the state and I now own a gun.
The worst aspect of restraining orders I can think of is the false sense of security they provide--no piece of paper will stop a nutcase once they got their panties in a bunch.
(If you did nothing wrong, and someone files for a restraining order against you, ALWAYS contest it. It doesn't cost a penny to do so, but it might cost many if you don't.)
Oops, accidentally hit submit instead of preview...
Third, I have to let all of their scripts run on my machine just to view the form, and we all know that scripts are a good thing. The process of asking for information has been corrupted and made part of the data gathering effort.
Fourth, there is also the requirement that every person must know the law under which they have the authority to even ask--suggesting that they will not comply unless compelled by law to do so. This is a blatant attempt at obfuscation using the very laws meant to protect us, laws that no layman could be expected to fully understand in the first place.
Here is a screen grab of the form for those that don't want to give data in order to view it...
"What's stopping you filing a request for that data?"
Well, a few things.
First, I have to have an account in order to fill out the form--I don't. That does not mean they do not have data on me.
Second, I have to GIVE them all the data on that form, as well as verify it as being correct...in order to see if they have data on me. Something inherently wrong with that, and I shouldn't have to point out what.
China claims success in their Weather Control efforts, when in reality those increases in precipitation are actually a result of their contribution to global warming--warmer air has the potential to "hold" more water.
"When our ancestors moved from the cover of the woods to a grassy meadow, when they entered a cave, or rounded the bend of a river they were effectively going through a door to another space. The surviving human brains would have been attuned to both threats and opportunities, which would be a priority processing task kicked off by crossing the barrier threshold."
Maybe this is why talking/texting on a cell phone while driving is dangerous. The person is essentially straddling a threshold between two spaces--a car surrounded by dangerous situations, and whatever space the person on the other end of the phone occupies--leaving that person with the task of "assessing" two physically separate places (one by proxy) at once.
"I've tried noscript a couple times, and each time it rendered the web useless"
Some websites are entirely reliant on scripts--poorly constructed websites, for the most part, but mostly because the website is trying to slip something past you.
If you pull up the context options for NoScript (right-click anywhere on the webpage) you'll see that you can allow scripts individually. Start with the script that looks like it applies directly to the website, usually a domain that matches the one in the address bar, and the page will automatically reload with that script running. Keep doing this, one script at a time until the page works. You can do this just for the browsing session, or set it to permanently allow those particular scripts. Keep in mind that at some point you may have to start allowing stuff that is bad or the website still doesn't work--this is the point I usually leave the site.
The hard part is determining which scripts you don't need. This is something you learn over time (my youngest daughter has been doing this on her own since she was 12 yrs old). Does that Googlesyndication script REALLY have anything to do with your local newpaper? No? Then don't let it through. Some are obviously from 3rd parties. Don't let them through.
The biggest problem, you will come to see, is that sometimes allowing one script to run will trigger more scripts, and NoScript will simply block those as well.
I have a rule for myself that makes things pretty easy--I block any script that isn't obviously from the website I am visiting. If it breaks the site, I go elsewhere. Another good rule of thumb is the fewer scripts the website requires you to run, the better.
NoScript is no panacea--it is just a tool. Unlike AdBlock (well, as it is NOW), NoScript still requires user input to function according to the users preferences. I suppose the biggest difference between the two models is AdBlock uses a subscription to determine what to block and what not to block, while NoScript blocks everything and relies on YOU to decide what to let through.
A combination of AdBlock, NoScript and Ghostery seems to protect me, and my senses, pretty well. But, there are also a LOT of websites I cannot view as a result of those add-ons...a good thing, I am sure.
I, for one, will continue blocking all the ads I can, for numerous reasons--lower bandwidth usage, no unexpected sounds, no questionable embedding in ads, etc. When AdBlock doesn't allow me to do that anymore, someone will make another add-on that does and I will move to that add-on.
"Another way of saying that is that the average mechanic stretches out a 1 hour job for 6 hours."
I'll take that as a suggestion that I am not average. Thanks.
To be honest, that job was a bad example. I purchased tools that made that job quicker, as well as made a couple of my own. In short, I invested my own cash into making that job quicker. I also failed to mention those -45F days that I didn't touch a single car or make a single penny--I once went an entire week in the shop and didn't touch a single car, and thus didn't make a single penny...for a week. That is the bad side of commission wrenching--if the shop manager cannot get enough work coming in to keep you busy at all times, you don't make money. This is the point at which a shops bad reputation can really fuck over mechanics--even the honest mechanics are subject to the reputations of the shops they work for.
Precisely the reason I am no longer a mechanic--much like everyone else, I couldn't find a shop that I trusted either.
"...There is, of course, the possibility that the man was just a good coder who was handed jobs that were bid as "six months of a full-time programmer" which he then slapped together in an afternoon of wild hacking."
This.
As a mechanic I was paid commission--I got 45% of the labor charge to the customer. Let's use a specific job as an example--4 ball-joints on an S-10 Blazer. An estimating guide (book time) is used by most shops to estimate costs for customers as well as billing. Michell guide puts this job at 6.0 hours. That is what the customer is charged, simple as that--6 hours at the going shop rate.
Now here is where I come in. Since I have done this particular job many, many times, I know exactly what tools to take out of my tool box and set up on a cart. I know exactly what order to do things in, used multiple air hoses so I didn't waste time swapping out air tools, etc. I can actually do this 6 hour job in just over an hour. So I get paid for 45% of 6 hours labor for doing one hour of labor. Sounds like I'm ripping people off, right? Wrong, and here is why.
If I rush that job and fuck it up for any reason, I have to do it OVER FOR FREE. I do not make money doing things over, so I have incentive to do it right the first time. The guy that is paid hourly has no reason to care--he might get fired eventually, but he'll get paid even for doing it again as long as he is on the clock. I got paid really well for my time because I kicked some ass, learned my trade and performed not just well, but well beyond what was expected--I was able to do the job so efficiently that it literally took me 1/6th of the time to do it. I should get paid less for that? Trust me, this is a rare example of that kind of efficiency--most of the time I roughly matched book times on most jobs. If it was a particularly big job (head gasket, tranny rebuild, etc), I would actually exceed the book times by quite a bit--it was a safe bet to be extra careful as rebuilding a transmission twice and only getting paid once sucks. Some jobs were quick and well paying, some were slow and not-so-good paying. They balanced out.
The point is that I was paid to do a specific job, not to be on the fucking clock. As long as the job gets done, why should it matter if I'm in a bar scribbling notes on napkins?
I think the issue here is that dude was entirely dishonest in almost every way he could have been. But other then that, did the guy actually do what he was paid to do?
"...I can plugin and diagnose just like they do, with ODB-II as a starting point and a little bit of experience to let me know when what the ODB-II is saying isn't really whats wrong."
And you'll probably end up following a flow-chart to diagnose the system that the OBD-II trouble code refers to. A lot of flow-chart branches end with something along the line of "Replace PCM with Known Good PCM and retest" which then leads to "Replace PCM" if the system suddenly works with a good PCM in it. Pretty simple. Simple enough for you to do it, probably. So now what do you do, Parnelli Jones? Replace then entire PCM (Powertrain Control Module--the computer!), right? Of course, because you are not an electronic engineer, nor am I. Another issue you might have just noticed is the "...known-good part" aspect. Only a dealership is going to have these components on hand to actually do something like this, as most electronic components are NON-returnable--once an independent shop purchases that part, they own it whether it was the problem or not. Just another tactic the manufacturers use to monopolize the repair industry.
The difference between you and I is that I know enough about the entire system to test EVERYTHING else in that system to determine what took out the PCM in the first place, and I don't need any flow charts to do so. You on the other hand would probably just replace the PCM, like the flow-chart told you to do, and....burn it out the moment you turned on the key because you never fixed that injector harness that was shorted directly to ground.
Even specializing in automotive control systems and driveability diagnosis, the furthest into a PCM I ever got was taking the board out to look for visible failures. My point is that the manufacturers are putting more of these high-dollar, non-serviceable components in vehicles on purpose, that purpose being to sell you more stuff for more money.
And no, I'm not bitter. Just tired of working in a field where I felt most of the people I worked with were crooks. Even though I was brutally honest with every single one of my customers and never ripped anyone off, I still felt guilty--guilt by association. Just got sick of it.
Translation...Your car will now cost even MORE to keep fully functional.
Seriously, retired automotive mechanic here.
Does anyone really think auto-repair shops actually fix this stuff? They do not, for one reason--they are far too complex for the average mechanic to understand, let alone repair. Stuff like this, and others (electronic compasses built into rear view mirrors, sound systems, navigation systems, etc) are simply removed from the vehicle and replaced with a new one when they have failed. At best, the device is sent off to the original manufacturer for repairs--the cost of repairs and shipping is passed onto you. Cars now require specialists, much like the medical field, as a result of the continuing "advancements" and most shops cannot afford to employ these specialists. The result is not having any choice but to bring the vehicle to the dealer for "repairs".
On another note, most new-car dealerships make more from their repair departments then their sales departments.
Someone creates a text file that embodies the disgust and derision of the masses towards SOPA (and all that it represents), then uploads this file to TPB. Everyone that feels sympathetic to the contents of the file can then download it and seed it. The idea is to get a running total of seeds as high as possible--a petition, if you will. Those numbers--seeds and peers--can then be used as an argument against SOPA (or anything like it). Perhaps a "declaration of consumer rights" as we consumers would create one...
I'd love to see such a thing at the top of TPB listings.
Now that I think about this, perhaps such an idea could be used to nominate actual laws and bills for consideration by governments.
"It's unlikely the OP will be seated on a case that has anything to do with constitutional law."
Some of the most seemingly-insignificant of cases have turned out to be land-mark cases, further down the road. Roe v. Wade is a good example. All the more reason to take juror selection seriously. You may be sending a case right on up to the Supreme Court. Act accordingly.
"This hospital has chronic problems with virus/malware infestation on a number of office machines - but while IT can clean the computers manually, there seems to be a reservoir if infection on file-servers, USB drives, etc. So the infections come straight back after a manual deletion. This hasn't caused a catastrophe locally, so management don't seem to care, but it is a major annoyance, as infected documents frequently end-up getting e-mailed out to other hospitals/doctors and destroyed without trace by the recipient's e-mail system. Docs have been known to put the files on a USB stick, take it home, clean it with an up-to-date virus scanner and then e-mail it out."
It sounds like you're describing the MRSA phenomenon that many hospitals are experiencing. Perhaps the root of both problems lies in a common practice that, once addressed, could solve both issues?
I am looking to purchase a smartphone, but with all these lawsuits it has become exceedingly difficult to determine exactly which phone will allow me to join the highest possible amount of future class-action suits. I am hoping the sum of settlement payments will exceed the actual cost of the phone and result in a net profit.
I once downloaded some MP3 files (about 4 years ago) and one of the files puzzled me.
I had gotten into the habit of deleting all the metadata (and replacing it with my own in order to standardize all my MP3 files). When I deleted the metadata and replaced it with my own, this certain file went from roughly 25kb in size down to 15kb. Of the 14-15 or so files in that group, only one file acted in this manner. The rest in the group either registered no change or 1kb less in size. I actually downloaded the entire torrent again in order to verify this, but I never did figure out the reason for it. I checked the actual metadata information and nothing seemed amiss (no visible script or anything like that).
Could it have been arbitrary code inserted in the metadata just as we see here, and if so, how was it hidden from view when looking at the metadata via "properties"? (if you're wondering, the file was a song from CCR's Cosmos Factory--"I Heard It Through The Grapevine"...Yeah, yeah. Pretty fucking funny, now that I think about it. Now, I wonder what the payload was.)
Slashdot Mirror
"Please name names and jurisdiction if possible."
As much as I feel comfortable doing so.
The judge in the case is now dead. I believe he died of natural causes (old age). That being said, I don't think there is much point in revealing his name, but I can say this--He was a Judge in Superior Court in Fairbanks, AK, and was replaced by, oddly enough, my old attorney, the very same one that represented me during all of these restraining orders.
The officers? Doesn't matter--as far as I am concerned the entire Alaska State Troopers office is corrupt. Even their receptionist stonewalled me when I tried to get a copy of the police reports--my attorney had to get them. As soon as they realized that they fucked up huge (by not taking the violators of the restraining orders into custody, and by not even charging them), they immediately set about trying to make ME look like I was at fault. The State Troopers helped those two men ask for, and receive, additional help from the Alaska Office of Victims Rights, who were then used against us as well. The Office of Victims Rights actually violated their own bylaws by representing someone with a criminal record (both of these men had been on probation within three years of asking for representation--an automatic denial of representation, according to their bylaws, yet they still represented them). Interestingly, the Alaska Office of Victims Rights bylaws include a clause that prevent anyone from holding them accountable for ANYTHING they do, even blatant violations of state laws.
Names and Jurisdiction? Alaska...that pretty much covers it. Nice place to visit, but I'm pretty sure the vast majority of the people that live there are fucking nuts, and those that aren't probably cannot afford the plane ticket to get the hell out. Alaska was the worst decision I ever made. The corruption is widespread, and in every sector of life.
I'd love for some asshole in the Alaska State Troopers to try and sue me for these statements--I've saved every single scrap of paperwork and evidence for such a day--and this time, since I no longer live there, they'd be doing so in a court not under their influence. I'd also do my best to get the media involved, with the sole purpose of dragging as many skeletons out of the closet as possible.
Also, I didn't "just leave". Those two assholes actually tried to convince the state to prevent me from leaving, and the Office of Victims rights HELPED them with this. This was the moment I realized the true depth of corruption in Alaska. In court, I asked them how me STAYING in Alaska alleviated the threat they claimed I represented to them--they had no reasonable answer and it became obvious to the Judge (a different one then the one that signed the restraining orders) that they were just trying to harass us. He "let" us go simply because there was no wriggling around what I did my best to make obvious--I was being harassed by not only these two men, but the State as well. I think the Judge realized he would become part and parcel to the harassment if he did anything otherwise, just as I had hoped.
(To be honest, I don't want to publicly release actual names because those names could be used to cross-reference this Slashdot account/Nickname with my real name. I've been victimized by people in the past and do not wish to make it easier for someone to do so in the future, especially those asshole Troopers in Alaska. As is, they could easily use their police powers to figure out who I am, but then they would be abusing those powers and I would most certainly bring that up in court. In short, at this time, anything they did to me would be an abuse of power and they know damn well I'd use that against them--I've learned how to play their game and they know it.)
I've come to the conclusion that the only value a restraining order has is that of convincing a jury that you did everything in your power to prevent further harassment, and that you were well within your rights to blow the fuckers head off.
I wonder if anyone at NASA has heard the term "Nantucket Sleigh Ride"?
"The people getting the restraining orders are quite often aggressors rather than victims, or at least are aggressors as well as victims."
This, this, this.
My wife and I once asked for a restraining order against a man and his son (granted, without difficulty). They were pissed when we did so and immediately claimed some bullshit and filed for their own. When I was notified, as a respondent, I didn't contest their claims thinking that two restraining orders would simply be redundant and serve the same purpose--keeping them the fuck away from us. WRONG.
They asked for different restrictions that were used against me, such as requiring me to stay 5000' from their house, when we had only asked for 500'. The problem here is that we lived in the same neighborhood and my house was within 5000' of theirs. They called the cops on me the moment I came home from work and I had to go to court to contest the order they had.
On top of this, a restraining order is only as good as the resolve of the Judge that signed it. Both of those two men later violated the order we had against them (literally chased my wife and daughters at knife point, only to be held off by a total stranger with a 12-guage. (Thank you, if you're reading this!)), witnessed by over a dozen police officers (fuck you, Alaska State Troopers), admitted their guilt in court to the very same judge that signed the violated order...and walked out of that courtroom before I did, free men.
Needless to say, we left the state and I now own a gun.
The worst aspect of restraining orders I can think of is the false sense of security they provide--no piece of paper will stop a nutcase once they got their panties in a bunch.
(If you did nothing wrong, and someone files for a restraining order against you, ALWAYS contest it. It doesn't cost a penny to do so, but it might cost many if you don't.)
"Kind of like SchrÃdinger's cat when you think about it."
I suppose so...If you mean that by using Facebook I am both alive AND dead. Until such time as I can view my data, I might as well be.
Oops, accidentally hit submit instead of preview...
Third, I have to let all of their scripts run on my machine just to view the form, and we all know that scripts are a good thing. The process of asking for information has been corrupted and made part of the data gathering effort.
Fourth, there is also the requirement that every person must know the law under which they have the authority to even ask--suggesting that they will not comply unless compelled by law to do so. This is a blatant attempt at obfuscation using the very laws meant to protect us, laws that no layman could be expected to fully understand in the first place.
Here is a screen grab of the form for those that don't want to give data in order to view it...
http://siliconfilter.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/data_request_facebook.png
"What's stopping you filing a request for that data?"
Well, a few things.
First, I have to have an account in order to fill out the form--I don't. That does not mean they do not have data on me.
Second, I have to GIVE them all the data on that form, as well as verify it as being correct...in order to see if they have data on me. Something inherently wrong with that, and I shouldn't have to point out what.
I'm more interested in seeing the CD contents of someone that has never intentionally used Facebook--someone like me.
I can see it now.
China claims success in their Weather Control efforts, when in reality those increases in precipitation are actually a result of their contribution to global warming--warmer air has the potential to "hold" more water.
"When our ancestors moved from the cover of the woods to a grassy meadow, when they entered a cave, or rounded the bend of a river they were effectively going through a door to another space. The surviving human brains would have been attuned to both threats and opportunities, which would be a priority processing task kicked off by crossing the barrier threshold."
Maybe this is why talking/texting on a cell phone while driving is dangerous. The person is essentially straddling a threshold between two spaces--a car surrounded by dangerous situations, and whatever space the person on the other end of the phone occupies--leaving that person with the task of "assessing" two physically separate places (one by proxy) at once.
"Are you supposed to start in the basement or the attic?"
This is Slashdot--I think you know the answer to that question.
I wonder if this drone is carrying a payload.
Stuxnet derivative? I can't think of a better way to get someone to hook up infected hardware--a Trojan Pegasus.
"Wouldn't it be nice if there was such a thing as NoScript+ that allowed you to subscribe to whitelists of valuable and harmless scripts?"
Well, as Wladimir has recently shown us, whitelists are only as good/bad as the intentions of those that compile them.
"I've tried noscript a couple times, and each time it rendered the web useless"
Some websites are entirely reliant on scripts--poorly constructed websites, for the most part, but mostly because the website is trying to slip something past you.
If you pull up the context options for NoScript (right-click anywhere on the webpage) you'll see that you can allow scripts individually. Start with the script that looks like it applies directly to the website, usually a domain that matches the one in the address bar, and the page will automatically reload with that script running. Keep doing this, one script at a time until the page works. You can do this just for the browsing session, or set it to permanently allow those particular scripts. Keep in mind that at some point you may have to start allowing stuff that is bad or the website still doesn't work--this is the point I usually leave the site.
The hard part is determining which scripts you don't need. This is something you learn over time (my youngest daughter has been doing this on her own since she was 12 yrs old). Does that Googlesyndication script REALLY have anything to do with your local newpaper? No? Then don't let it through. Some are obviously from 3rd parties. Don't let them through.
The biggest problem, you will come to see, is that sometimes allowing one script to run will trigger more scripts, and NoScript will simply block those as well.
I have a rule for myself that makes things pretty easy--I block any script that isn't obviously from the website I am visiting. If it breaks the site, I go elsewhere. Another good rule of thumb is the fewer scripts the website requires you to run, the better.
NoScript is no panacea--it is just a tool. Unlike AdBlock (well, as it is NOW), NoScript still requires user input to function according to the users preferences. I suppose the biggest difference between the two models is AdBlock uses a subscription to determine what to block and what not to block, while NoScript blocks everything and relies on YOU to decide what to let through.
A combination of AdBlock, NoScript and Ghostery seems to protect me, and my senses, pretty well. But, there are also a LOT of websites I cannot view as a result of those add-ons...a good thing, I am sure.
I, for one, will continue blocking all the ads I can, for numerous reasons--lower bandwidth usage, no unexpected sounds, no questionable embedding in ads, etc. When AdBlock doesn't allow me to do that anymore, someone will make another add-on that does and I will move to that add-on.
Already screwed over by Verizon in the past, dropped them as soon as my contract ran out, then swore I would never do business with them again.
I guess I will have that final "nail in the coffin" that pushes me to drop Netflix too. Ah well, it was good while it lasted (11 years).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verizon#Controversies
"Another way of saying that is that the average mechanic stretches out a 1 hour job for 6 hours."
I'll take that as a suggestion that I am not average. Thanks.
To be honest, that job was a bad example. I purchased tools that made that job quicker, as well as made a couple of my own. In short, I invested my own cash into making that job quicker. I also failed to mention those -45F days that I didn't touch a single car or make a single penny--I once went an entire week in the shop and didn't touch a single car, and thus didn't make a single penny...for a week. That is the bad side of commission wrenching--if the shop manager cannot get enough work coming in to keep you busy at all times, you don't make money. This is the point at which a shops bad reputation can really fuck over mechanics--even the honest mechanics are subject to the reputations of the shops they work for.
Precisely the reason I am no longer a mechanic--much like everyone else, I couldn't find a shop that I trusted either.
Years ago, if someone had told me I might actually die by having my heart vaporized, in situ, by a T-101, I would have laughed.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_computer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_intelligence
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-replicating_machine
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_robot
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Directed-energy_weapon
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skynet_(satellite)
Not so funny anymore.
"...There is, of course, the possibility that the man was just a good coder who was handed jobs that were bid as "six months of a full-time programmer" which he then slapped together in an afternoon of wild hacking."
This.
As a mechanic I was paid commission--I got 45% of the labor charge to the customer. Let's use a specific job as an example--4 ball-joints on an S-10 Blazer. An estimating guide (book time) is used by most shops to estimate costs for customers as well as billing. Michell guide puts this job at 6.0 hours. That is what the customer is charged, simple as that--6 hours at the going shop rate.
Now here is where I come in. Since I have done this particular job many, many times, I know exactly what tools to take out of my tool box and set up on a cart. I know exactly what order to do things in, used multiple air hoses so I didn't waste time swapping out air tools, etc. I can actually do this 6 hour job in just over an hour. So I get paid for 45% of 6 hours labor for doing one hour of labor. Sounds like I'm ripping people off, right? Wrong, and here is why.
If I rush that job and fuck it up for any reason, I have to do it OVER FOR FREE. I do not make money doing things over, so I have incentive to do it right the first time. The guy that is paid hourly has no reason to care--he might get fired eventually, but he'll get paid even for doing it again as long as he is on the clock. I got paid really well for my time because I kicked some ass, learned my trade and performed not just well, but well beyond what was expected--I was able to do the job so efficiently that it literally took me 1/6th of the time to do it. I should get paid less for that? Trust me, this is a rare example of that kind of efficiency--most of the time I roughly matched book times on most jobs. If it was a particularly big job (head gasket, tranny rebuild, etc), I would actually exceed the book times by quite a bit--it was a safe bet to be extra careful as rebuilding a transmission twice and only getting paid once sucks. Some jobs were quick and well paying, some were slow and not-so-good paying. They balanced out.
The point is that I was paid to do a specific job, not to be on the fucking clock. As long as the job gets done, why should it matter if I'm in a bar scribbling notes on napkins?
I think the issue here is that dude was entirely dishonest in almost every way he could have been. But other then that, did the guy actually do what he was paid to do?
"...I can plugin and diagnose just like they do, with ODB-II as a starting point and a little bit of experience to let me know when what the ODB-II is saying isn't really whats wrong."
And you'll probably end up following a flow-chart to diagnose the system that the OBD-II trouble code refers to. A lot of flow-chart branches end with something along the line of "Replace PCM with Known Good PCM and retest" which then leads to "Replace PCM" if the system suddenly works with a good PCM in it. Pretty simple. Simple enough for you to do it, probably. So now what do you do, Parnelli Jones? Replace then entire PCM (Powertrain Control Module--the computer!), right? Of course, because you are not an electronic engineer, nor am I. Another issue you might have just noticed is the "...known-good part" aspect. Only a dealership is going to have these components on hand to actually do something like this, as most electronic components are NON-returnable--once an independent shop purchases that part, they own it whether it was the problem or not. Just another tactic the manufacturers use to monopolize the repair industry.
The difference between you and I is that I know enough about the entire system to test EVERYTHING else in that system to determine what took out the PCM in the first place, and I don't need any flow charts to do so. You on the other hand would probably just replace the PCM, like the flow-chart told you to do, and....burn it out the moment you turned on the key because you never fixed that injector harness that was shorted directly to ground.
Even specializing in automotive control systems and driveability diagnosis, the furthest into a PCM I ever got was taking the board out to look for visible failures. My point is that the manufacturers are putting more of these high-dollar, non-serviceable components in vehicles on purpose, that purpose being to sell you more stuff for more money.
And no, I'm not bitter. Just tired of working in a field where I felt most of the people I worked with were crooks. Even though I was brutally honest with every single one of my customers and never ripped anyone off, I still felt guilty--guilt by association. Just got sick of it.
Kixome takes a coffee while posting on Slashdot...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5X8I_iClpk
Translation...Your car will now cost even MORE to keep fully functional.
Seriously, retired automotive mechanic here.
Does anyone really think auto-repair shops actually fix this stuff? They do not, for one reason--they are far too complex for the average mechanic to understand, let alone repair. Stuff like this, and others (electronic compasses built into rear view mirrors, sound systems, navigation systems, etc) are simply removed from the vehicle and replaced with a new one when they have failed. At best, the device is sent off to the original manufacturer for repairs--the cost of repairs and shipping is passed onto you. Cars now require specialists, much like the medical field, as a result of the continuing "advancements" and most shops cannot afford to employ these specialists. The result is not having any choice but to bring the vehicle to the dealer for "repairs".
On another note, most new-car dealerships make more from their repair departments then their sales departments.
Just an idea...
Occupy The Pirate Bay.
Someone creates a text file that embodies the disgust and derision of the masses towards SOPA (and all that it represents), then uploads this file to TPB. Everyone that feels sympathetic to the contents of the file can then download it and seed it. The idea is to get a running total of seeds as high as possible--a petition, if you will. Those numbers--seeds and peers--can then be used as an argument against SOPA (or anything like it). Perhaps a "declaration of consumer rights" as we consumers would create one...
I'd love to see such a thing at the top of TPB listings.
Now that I think about this, perhaps such an idea could be used to nominate actual laws and bills for consideration by governments.
"It's unlikely the OP will be seated on a case that has anything to do with constitutional law."
Some of the most seemingly-insignificant of cases have turned out to be land-mark cases, further down the road. Roe v. Wade is a good example. All the more reason to take juror selection seriously. You may be sending a case right on up to the Supreme Court. Act accordingly.
"This hospital has chronic problems with virus/malware infestation on a number of office machines - but while IT can clean the computers manually, there seems to be a reservoir if infection on file-servers, USB drives, etc. So the infections come straight back after a manual deletion. This hasn't caused a catastrophe locally, so management don't seem to care, but it is a major annoyance, as infected documents frequently end-up getting e-mailed out to other hospitals/doctors and destroyed without trace by the recipient's e-mail system. Docs have been known to put the files on a USB stick, take it home, clean it with an up-to-date virus scanner and then e-mail it out."
It sounds like you're describing the MRSA phenomenon that many hospitals are experiencing. Perhaps the root of both problems lies in a common practice that, once addressed, could solve both issues?
I need a little advice.
I am looking to purchase a smartphone, but with all these lawsuits it has become exceedingly difficult to determine exactly which phone will allow me to join the highest possible amount of future class-action suits. I am hoping the sum of settlement payments will exceed the actual cost of the phone and result in a net profit.
Any suggestions?
I once downloaded some MP3 files (about 4 years ago) and one of the files puzzled me.
I had gotten into the habit of deleting all the metadata (and replacing it with my own in order to standardize all my MP3 files). When I deleted the metadata and replaced it with my own, this certain file went from roughly 25kb in size down to 15kb. Of the 14-15 or so files in that group, only one file acted in this manner. The rest in the group either registered no change or 1kb less in size. I actually downloaded the entire torrent again in order to verify this, but I never did figure out the reason for it. I checked the actual metadata information and nothing seemed amiss (no visible script or anything like that).
Could it have been arbitrary code inserted in the metadata just as we see here, and if so, how was it hidden from view when looking at the metadata via "properties"?
(if you're wondering, the file was a song from CCR's Cosmos Factory--"I Heard It Through The Grapevine"...Yeah, yeah. Pretty fucking funny, now that I think about it. Now, I wonder what the payload was.)